


Monsters In All of Us

by Ladyscorpio0088



Category: Market of Monsters - Rebecca Schaeffer
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempt at Humor, Consent Issues, Dark, Dark Comedy, Dark Past, Dorks in Love, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enthusiastic Consent, Explicit Consent, F/M, First Love, Fluff and Smut, Friendship/Love, Gratuitous Smut, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Inappropriate Humor, Love, Love Confessions, Painful Sex, Painplay, Past Rape/Non-con, Please Don't Hate Me, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Humor, Shameless Smut, Smut, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Tragic Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:07:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 23
Words: 153,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28575744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladyscorpio0088/pseuds/Ladyscorpio0088
Summary: Nita and Kovit have returned to Toronto to start their new life together, with the help of Diana and Adair. There are many bumps in the road ahead of them, and a few of those are human shaped. Beginning almost a year after the events in When Villains Rise, Monsters in All of Us picks up Nita and Kovit's story after they have had a few months to heal and catch their breath. They won't be able to hold onto it for long however, as old players return, and new ones come forth to bring new challenges to our favorite murderous couple. However, they'll find that they aren't as alone as they once thought they were, as they forge new alliances and develop new friendships, and strengthen old ones along the way. After all, there are monsters inside all of us....
Relationships: Nita/ Kovit Diana/Adair
Comments: 32
Kudos: 42





	1. Green Eyed Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this started off as a one shot smut scene because of a dream. And then it became a thing, because I kept on dreaming of different scenes that were connected to that smut scene. Then I had to go back, and rework the beginning of the story, to make it into a story, with background, and people, and rework the world building I had already done so that it flowed better and it worked out sooooo much better, and I'm much more happy with it. I need porn with plot, which is why I'm addicted to AO3 to begin with anyways, so yeah. Here I am. Posting on AO3 for the first time. And surprisingly, it's not a Zootopia or Yu-Yu Hakusho fic. Because right now, apparently, at 32 years old, my brain finally decided to let me write a story with scenes that connect to tell the whole story. About our little wonderful, psychotic, murdering, cinnamon rolls. YAY!
> 
> Fair warning though. There are going to be A Lot of OCs. I'll probably end up posting a chapter with a character list at some point, with physical traits, abilities, etc.
> 
> Extra fair warning, this is gonna get dark. You kinda expect that in this fandom, but please, no flaming in the comments. Or keep it to candle flames, at least, not bonfires. If comments get really bad, I will delete. I identify with Nita far more than I probably should, and like I said, I'm in my 30s. I've seen and experienced some shit. I added the tags for a reason. If you read it anyways and are triggered, it was your choice. I say that gently, but firmly. The world is not a safe place. It never has been, it never will be, and this is part of me processing what has happened to me in my life, to keep from adding to the bad shit out there. We can do our damnest to make our little corner of the world better, and we each should. But we have to let ourselves be strong enough to do the work.
> 
> So if I haven't scared you off, please, enjoy.

Nita stretched as she walked out of her biology lab class, feeling content. They had done a dissection that day, and while it had only been swine, it made her feel very relaxed to finally be in an applicable setting again. She was in her second semester in the University of Toronto, two weeks into January in fact, and she was loving every minute of it. Since she and Kovit had returned to Toronto, their lives had settled into a pattern of normalcy that Nita had never thought possible. Shifting her backpack higher on her shoulder, Nita ignored the babble of voices around her and put one earbud in, scrolling through her apps on her phone to bring up her video messenger. It rang for only a minute before Kovit’s tired face popped up on her screen.

“Hey you. Did I wake you?” Nita asked, and Kovit smiled.

“No, I was studying.” Kovit ran a hand over his face, squishing his features together adorably. “Tell me whose bright idea it was to mix numbers and letters together and call it math? And why do I need to know this shit?” Nita giggled at the despondent whine in Kovit’s voice, and her heart fluttered at the sight of his smile. Kovit was taking remote remedial classes to get caught up and qualify for his GED, since his mafia family had neglected his formal education in the years he had lived with them.

“It’s a building block to being a productive member of society? It’s algebra Kovit. Eventually you’ll need to figure out how much of something to add to something else to get a desired outcome. Of the two of us, you’re the better cook. Think of it as tinkering with a recipe.” Nita laughed at Kovit’s appalled look.

“How dare you Nita! You open the bag of pizza rolls, stick them on a plate. Then they go into the microwave for 3 minutes on one side, pull them out, flip them, 1 and ½ minutes on the other! Viola! Food! No Tinkering!” Nita laughed harder, and Kovit gave a weak chuckle. There was a commotion behind Nita, but she ignored it, looking at Kovit’s tired face.

“Speaking of food, have you  _ eaten _ ?” With the emphasis Nita put on the word, Kovit knew she wasn’t talking about pizza rolls. He shrugged ruefully.

“There was someone in the clinic that needed stitches in their hand this morning. By the time I got there, they had already been called back and were getting checked out and cleaned up, so I got a snack. I’m fine Nita.” Nita pursed her lips, staring at him. Kovit gave another laugh. “I’m fine!” Nita just rolled her eyes and let the matter drop. Kovit would tell her if things got really bad. She just couldn’t help but worry. Nita was concerned about what the effects of his sensitivity to pain would have on his surgeries healing completely. While it had been over 5 months since he had been deemed healthy enough to return to Toronto, and thus to face trial, Nita knew such grave injuries took years to fully heal, even with Andrej’s blood to speed things up. She realized Kovit had asked her something and shook the heavy thoughts from her mind.

“I’m sorry, what?” Kovit grinned at her.

“Worrywart. I said, what do  _ you  _ want to eat tonight? Like real food?” Nita stuck her tongue out at him and thought about what they had for groceries, realizing it wasn’t much. They needed to make a store run. Normal life was  _ soo  _ weird!

“We still have leftovers from Spaghetti Factory right?” Kovit nodded. “That’ll work. We can make a list of stuff we need after supper and hit the store tomorrow, it’s the weekend. Did you have much schoolwork assigned?” There was another scuffle behind Nita, and she turned, surveying the hall. The Medical Sciences Building was large and airy, a glass building with a large atrium between the classes. The building was multilevel, and there were open spaces in the middle where models hung that could be viewed from all angles from several levels. A strand of DNA made of different cola cans and copper tubing hung down in one area, models of different bacteria and germs in another. For midafternoon in January, there was still a lot of sunlight in the building, and the atrium was packed. Not really surprising, considering the frigid temperature outside, but it made Nita uneasy, being surrounded by so many people. She made her way over to a support beam, out of the way of the crowd. Kovit caught wind of her distress.

“Everything ok?” he asked, his face more alert. Nita didn’t answer, her eyes flicking back and forth. There was a group of girls she recognized from her lab class, sitting and chatting around some potted plants. Professors in groups of two or three, walking to or from classes. Other students in groups or by themselves, studying notes, typing on laptops, flirting, talking on phones. There was a group of five or six guys making a nuisance of themselves over by the stairwell, catcalling women that walked by, shoving each other and laughing as the responses they got varied from eyerolls to raised middle fingers to lewd responses. Nita hadn’t realized she had walked right past them while talking with Kovit. She took a deep breath and focused on her screen again. Kovit’s face was laser focused on her. “Nita, what happened?”

“Nothing. Sorry. Just some dumbasses making fools of themselves, trying to pick up women that have no interest. Not anything else.” Nita took more deep breaths, leaning back against the pillar as her legs shook slightly. Her therapist’s voice whispered in her mind, reminding her to ground herself in the moment, and she ran her hand along the pillar’s rough surface, made herself pick out the different scents of perfume that people were wearing. Kovit was still watching her carefully, and Nita smiled crookedly at him. “Tell me about your day, please?” she asked softly. Kovit blinked, but smiled back.

“Not much to tell. After I got back from the clinic, I had my history class, which was just reviewing stuff for the test on Monday. Then there was the stroll through hell, aka Algebra. I still need to finish some of that. Then I had my Lit class, which, by the way, my teacher absolutely loved my essay!” Kovit pretended to brush dust from his shoulder with a smug look on his face, and Nita felt some of the tension ease from her chest as a giggle bubbled up.

“Of course he did. You’re both nerds for online gaming, so an essay on how computer games are redefining how we share and remake classic hero tales is going to be a huge hit with him!” Kovit made a face and Nita laughed.

“Excuse me! Pot calling the kettle black there, level 27 ranger who has to have a cat! And I am not a nerd, I’m a geek. I’m obsessed with certain pop culture stuff.  _ You  _ are the nerd, Ms Scientific Researcher with your beautiful brain that’s big enough to blot out the sun and your creepy obsession with dissecting things! Speaking of which, didn’t you have a lab today?” Nita grinned broadly, and Kovit leaned back, a hand behind his head.

“Yes I did. We each got assigned a pig this semester, and we get to run all sorts of tests on it throughout the rest of the year! They’re assigned randomly, so you won’t know if you get a male or female until the day of, and depending on the gender, you have a few different tests you have to run. I got a sow, and guess what!” Kovit grimaced slightly, but laughed.

“Do I even want to know?” he asked, and Nita cackled in response.

“My sow was pregnant! My professor said there’s always one or two each year, but it’s like a lottery, and I won it! I get to run more experiments, and it’s so fascinating!!!! I’ve never had the chance to really learn about fetal development before.” Kovit gagged slightly, and coughed as he watched Nita’s enthusiasm return. In the end he was smiling again.

“Only you could be so excited for more work Nita.” Nita pouted at him, and Kovit laughed. “I’m happy you’re happy. It sounds like you had a great day. A creepy, disgusting, great day.” Kovit was laughing so hard Nita had a hard time making out what he said, but she grinned.

“I miss your stupid face.” she replied, happiness bubbling up inside her as she listened to Kovit’s wheezing laughter. 

“You’re looking at my stupid face.” Kovit snarked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Nita growled at him.

“You know what I mean!”

“Then come home!” Kovit kept laughing, and Nita rolled her eyes, pushing away from the pillar and stepped back into the hallway. She had barely taken two steps when she felt a hand on her shoulder and the earbud was pulled from her ear.

“ _ ¡Hola hermosa! Traté de hablar contigo antes, pero ¿no me escuchaste? ¿Quién es tan interesante que ni siquiera pudiste detenerte y saludar? _ " (Hey, Beautiful! I tried to talk with you earlier, but you didn’t seem to hear me? Who’s so interesting you couldn’t even stop and say hi?) Asked a young male voice from the side, and Nita turned to see the group of guys from the stairs standing next to her. The boys were various shades, from white as snow to brown to dark black, and Nita narrowed her eyes. The one holding her earbud was just a few inches taller than her, with warm brown skin and dark hair. His grey eyes were playful, and straying down to her chest and hips in a way Nita definitely didn’t like. When he saw that he had been caught staring, he flashed her an innocent smile that she didn’t return. “ _ No hay necesidad de ser fría, cariño. Solo quería tener la oportunidad de saludar. _ ” (No need to be cold, sweetheart. I just wanted the chance to say hello.)

Nita glared at him and yanked her earbud out of his hand, returning it to her ear. “ _ Estoy hablando con mi novio. No tengo ningún interés en saludarte. _ ” (I'm talking with my boyfriend. I have no interest in saying hello to  _ you _ .) Nita glanced at his hand that was still on her shoulder, then back at him, raising an eyebrow. “ _ Te sugiero que muevas tu mano. _ ” (I suggest you move your hand.) When he didn’t, Nita’s glare turned icy, and she turned to face him fully, her hand going to her pocket for her scalpel. “ _ Antes de que te lo quite. _ ” (Before I remove it  _ from  _ you.) she growled lowly, and he quickly withdrew it. Nita turned her glare to the rest of the group, and they shuffled past hurriedly. She stood there a minute, and was rewarded when the boy who had touched her turned and flipped her off.

“ _ Puta! _ ” he called back at her, and Nita smiled her broken smile, pulling her scalpel from her coat pocket and twirling it around her fingers the way Kovit had taught her to do. The boy blanched and stumbled, rushing back to his group of friends and pushing them into the crowd in the atrium. Kovit’s laughter in her ear pulled Nita from her anger, and she slipped the blade back into her pocket. Technically she wasn’t supposed to carry it, but she wasn’t going to go about without some kind of protection. She supposed she should get something sturdier than a scalpel, but it was so familiar it was comforting. Nita looked at her phone again and saw that Kovit had tears leaking out of his eyes.

“My god, it wasn’t that funny.” she muttered, headed towards the front doors and the cold. “You’re going to pull a muscle Kovit. Breath for fucks sake!” Kovit was red in the face by the time Nita reached the door and had pulled her scarf and hat on. He had also stretched out on their bed, from the angle of his phone.

“Oh, Nita! Oh that was beautiful. I love it when you get mean!” Nita scoffed and pulled the cord of the earbud up so that the mic was positioned where he could hear her, and not get caught in her scarf.

“I was speaking Spanish. How do you know I wasn’t flirting back?” Kovit snorted and started chuckling again. 

“We’ve been living together for almost a year now, Nita. I may be an idiot, but I am starting to pick up some Spanish. Pretty sure you told the guy if he didn’t move his hand, you were gonna move it, right?” Nita stuck her tongue out at him, but quickly returned it to her mouth as she stepped outside into the cold. She shivered and huddled down into her coat as she walked briskly to the bus stop. Damn snow.

“Close enough, yeah.” She replied, watching out for ice on the walkway. Just because she could heal faster than normal didn’t mean she needed to waste energy doing so if it wasn’t needed.

“Plus you have a murder glow you get when someone pisses you off.” Kovit said, grinning ear to ear. Nita paused and stared at him for a moment before a gust of wind made her pick up her walking again.

“What the hell does that mean? There’s no such thing as a murder glow Kovit!” 

“Oh, yes there is, and you get it, every time you want to kill someone. When other people get mad, you hear the expression of them seeing red? Well, when you get mad, it’s like you give off this, I don’t know how to put it, what’s the opposite of light, but not darkness? Aura, maybe? Energy? I don’t know. You get all dangerous and scary and cool and shit. It’s fun. A murder glow.” Kovit ran his hand through his hair, and Nita stared at him, flabbergasted.

“And you say I’m the weird and morbid one? A murder glow? That makes me sound like I’m pregnant, Kovit!! Kovit’s eyes went wide, and he sat up, his grin turning gleeful and wicked. Nita groaned, realizing she made a mistake, and glanced around, hoping the bus would appear. Sadly, she was still several blocks away from the stop.

“Well now! That’s quite the jump Nita! From murder to pregnancy huh? You did say you had thought about learning more about fetal development before, but I didn’t expect you to mean first hand experience! Did something start the biological clock ticking?” Kovit’s grin had ventured into the realm of shiteating territory, and Nita was starting to fume. Admittedly, Nita had been wanting to push the boundaries that she and Kovit had put on themselves. There were times, such as really early in the morning, when she would wake up before Kovit, and she would lay there watching his face as he slept, and all she could think of would be kissing him. Or times when Nita would catch glimpses of him shirtless after a shower, and she would feel warm and breathless and achy, and have to quickly turn away before he caught her staring. But she still wasn’t sure if that was love. And babies certainly were not on the horizon. Yet. Although Kovit had been coming to bed without a shirt more often this past month or so, and the thought of him holding a child was cute, and if it had his hair…

“I’m gonna go all murder glow on you Kovit!” Nita hissed, glad that her scarf covered most of her face and the blush that she could feel warming her up. “I just meant that when you tell a woman she’s glowing, it’s usually because said woman is pregnant! Not murderous!” Kovit’s grin was doing weird things to her heartbeat as she walked, and she was having trouble watching where she was going.

“Ah, I see. So I’m not going to wake up one random day to you holding a pee stick with two blue lines on it, or to a gift bag with a cute onesie in it that says ready player three?” Nita stumbled and grabbed onto a lamppost to keep from face planting into the snowdrift. Though it might feel good with how hot her face was.

“We are not going to have an opps-a-baby Kovit! We aren’t having sex!” Nita looked frantically around herself, realizing how loud she had just been. Luckly, there wasn’t anyone else nearby, and the few people at the bus stop up ahead were huddled down out of the wind. Nita clung to the lamppost to try and get her balance back.

“I’ve seen you do some pretty amazing stuff with your abilities Nita. How am I supposed to know if I don’t ask?” Kovit was enjoying this far too much, and Nita growled at him in frustration.

“Because my abilities are still limited by biology, you idiot! I’ve stopped my monthly cycle yes, but any woman can do that with the right dose of birth control. That’s hormones!” Nita started forward again, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Medical terms she could handle. “But just like I can’t regrow my toe, I can’t have an immaculate conception. If I don’t ovulate, there’s no egg to fertilize. Even if I ovulate, if there’s no sperm to fertilize the egg, the egg can’t develop. Therefore, no baby. No pee sticks. No onesies.” Nita refused to look at her screen as Kovit chuckled. She wasn’t completely sure why she wanted to cry.

“I fully recognize I’m an idiot Nita, but I do know how babies happen. I was just teasing. Although that does answer the question about why you’ve never asked me to run out and get you any monthly supplies or chocolate. Diana just about bit my head off last week until I started throwing leftover Christmas candy at her.” Nita’s giggle came out strained, and Kovit’s voice turned worried.

“Nita, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push it so far.” Nita glanced down and saw the panic in Kovit’s face. She sighed, and stopped again several feet from the bus stop. She didn’t want anyone to overhear her.

“I don’t want you to feel trapped, Kovit.” She said softly, turning in place to keep herself warm. “I wouldn’t try to trap you that way.” Her voice was small, but Nita couldn’t help it. There were times over the past months that she had wondered if her mother had gotten pregnant with her only to control her father better. Monica had made Nita into a useful tool as she grew up, but there had to be some reason for her to be willing to get pregnant in the first place. There were easier ways to make tools. Faster ways. And the only two people who could give Nita those answers were dead, and Nita couldn’t even be sure that one of them would tell her any sort of truth. Kovit’s face was shocked at first when she spoke, then morphed to a gentle smile.

“Oh, sweetheart, no. That’s not what I meant at all,” he said gently, and Nita felt some of the cold emptiness inside fill back up with warmth. They had been slowly adding endearments to their conversations, and every time Kovit referred to her that way, Nita couldn’t help but melt a bit. She craved his touch, his closeness. There were times when she would be falling asleep and she would hear her name being whispered into her hair, would swear she could feel him press his lips to her temple. But only when she couldn’t be sure. She was no better with expressing her feelings. Nita felt tears stinging her eyes and blinked rapidly, knowing that crying now would leave her cheeks chapped and worry Kovit more. “I know better than that Nita. I trust you more than that. Besides, like you said, it takes two to dance the horizontal tango. There’s preventatives for both, and guys that want to play Russian Roulette and then complain when they get shot piss me off.” Kovit rolled his eyes, and Nita let out a real laugh, and headed towards the bus stop again.

“I’m guessing there were some in The Family that didn’t know how to work a safety?” Nita snarked, and Kovit groaned, flinging his arm across his eyes.

“You have no idea Nita. And there was one, a real jackass, who would not shut up about his problems. Not that they were real problems. His girlfriend demanded respect. But to him, that was a problem. And then finally, she caved, and then he learned what real problems were. She came up pregnant, he wanted her to end it, she told him no. He decided running from his problems was the best solution, she went to Father Pullman.” Kovit chuckled, and Nita made an enquiring noise as she finally made it to the bus stop and sat down out of the wind. Kovit moved his arm to under his head, grinning. “Sorry. Father Pullman is very traditional in some weird ways. He sent some errand boys after the guy, brought him home. Gave him the choice of walking down the aisle and becoming a faithful husband, or walking into my workroom. Next thing the house knew, Mother Pullman was helping the girl pick out flower arrangements and a month later, the jackass was in a tux, and Father Pullman walked the girl down the aisle and gave her away. I was sixteen then, and she was pregnant with their third when I was sent to Reyes.” Nita’s eyes went wide.

“How old were they?” she asked, and Kovit shrugged.

“When they got married? Around my age now. 22, maybe 23, so they’d be about 27, 28. Maybe 29 on the outside now. I just find it funny. Father Pullman can be a right bastard about pretty much everything else, but the women in his house are heard. Doesn’t matter what social status they have, what position they hold. As long as they do their jobs well, are respectful, they get protection. Just like everyone else. And just like everyone else, if they fuck up badly, they get punished. Father Pullman’s honor code is...odd. Complex.” Kovit trailed off, his eyes distant as he thought back. Nita shifted, and glanced around. The bus was still nowhere in sight, and she didn’t want Kovit to get too wrapped up in broody thoughts.

“Did you go to many weddings?” she popped up, hoping to distract him, and Kovit grinned at her, recognizing her ploy. He shifted back onto the pillows, and Nita’s heart did another flip.

“Some. Any formal event that was held at the house I was always in attendance at, at any rate. I was Henry’s shadow, after all. His protégé. And since Henry was Father Pullman’s right-hand man, if he was in attendance, I was expected to get all dolled up and show up too.” Nita bit back a groan and sank down into her coat. The point of distracting Kovit was to cheer him up, not kill his mood.

“Sorry.” She whispered, and Kovit chuckled.

“It’s alright Nita. Not all my memories are painful. I think around any Christmas was probably some of the better times, even though it was almost as cold as it is here. Afterall, Chicago is on Lake Michigan, so pretty much the same kind of weather, all that. Mother Pullman was always big on Christmas. After Thanksgiving the house would start getting decorated, although the trees wouldn’t be put up until just a couple of weeks before the big day. There would be treats coming out of the kitchens constantly. And of course, Mother Pullman had lots of holiday parties, charity events. You’d be surprised how many charities she is a part of. Real ones too, not fronts for The Family.” Nita smiled, and Kovit sighed, his face thoughtful. “Mother Pullman made a habit of talking to me at every event I attended. I don’t think she was trying to prove a point either. It usually wasn’t about anything too serious, not when I was younger. When I was young, it was mostly about what game I was playing, or if I was comfortable in my rooms, or if there was anything I needed that Henry wasn’t providing. As I got older, she still asked about those things, but she seemed to want my opinion on stuff, and if I had any plans for the future, or was interested in anyone, that sort of thing. I didn’t really have any answers for her, and she seemed to get frustrated with me.”

“Sounds like a typical mom reaction.” Kovit smirked and nodded at Nita’s assessment.

“Yeah, I guess it was. The last time we talked, I was being vague, I mean, she’s married to the head of The Family, I didn’t want to offend her. I guess she got completely fed up cause she slapped me lightly on the arm and said something like “Kovit, I swear, you are like a boat lost at sea, without a sail, drifting aimlessly! Find a sail, chart a course, and find your happiness!” Then she stalked off, muttering in, French, I think? Pretty sure it was in French. Matt was there the whole time, and started laughing his ass off. I nearly had a heart attack, cause I saw Father Pullman raising his eyebrows at me from across the room. Henry comes over to ask what happened, Matt tells him because I’m hyperventilating, and then Henry starts laughing. I guess Father Pullman decides I can’t have done anything too serious if Henry is laughing, because he stops glaring at me, and I can breathe again, and Henry tells me I can escape to my rooms, which Matt comes with me. And let me tell you, those damn monkey suits itch like hell when you sweat that much.” Nita started giggling like crazy as she imagined Kovit’s panicked stripping, trying not to let her imagination run too far.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing you in a suit. I bet you clean up nicely.” Nita said, distracted by the sight of the bus rounding the corner. Kovit grinned.

“Maybe when I officially level up.” Nita blinked at him in confusion.

“Huh?” She asked, standing and shifting her bag back into place on her back.

“Yeah, when I level up. You know. It goes friend, then boyfriend, then fiancee, then husband? That’s usually the progression tiers in relationships, right?” Kovit made chopping motions with his hand at slightly higher and higher intervals. “And I do believe that “Fancy Suit” is an armor class that is locked until you level up to at least boyfriend tier, and unlock the quest of “Date Night”” His shiteating grin was back, and Nita laughed.

“Oh my god Kovit! You are such a  _ nerd _ !! I got to go, the bus is here.”

“Wait wait wait! Nita, wait!” Nita paused before hitting the disconnect button, and waved at the bus driver. The thin man grinned and nodded.

“What? I’m going to miss the bus!” Kovit rolled his eyes.

“It’s  _ geek _ , and doesn’t  _ mi novio _ mean _my boyfriend_ in Spanish?” Nita’s eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped as Kovit blew her a kiss and hung up the phone with a cheeky grin. Nita stood stock still for several moments as her heart raced before the bus driver leaned over and called out the door.

“MISS! It’s cold, and I need to get to the next stop. You coming?” Nita jumped and rushed to the door.

“Yes! Yes, I’m sorry. I’m here. Sorry!” Nita was giggling and stumbled up the steps, fumbling to get her student metrocard out of her pocket, before biting her glove off to free her hand. It took her three tries to get the card to read then, first time because she had the strip the wrong way, the second time because she swiped it too fast. “Sorry,” she squeaked, trying to get herself under control. The bus driver chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s alright. My oldest is about your age, and I have two more daughters after her. Believe me, I get it. Let me guess, he just confirmed he liked you back?” Nita let out a happy little squeal as the bar lifted to let her find a seat, and she bounced her way to the first open one, which was just two seats back, behind an older Asian woman who always sat behind the driver on Friday. She slid all the way over to put her back against the window, and the older woman smiled back at her over the seat rest.

“Congratulations dear. It’s always exciting when love blooms!” She said, and the driver laughed.

“It is, as long as one of them doesn’t have to have emergency dental surgery scheduled for the day before the winter formal.” The older woman cooed in concern.

“Don’t tell me Sarah had to have a _root canal_!” The driver shook his head, his eyes on the road and his hands steady on the wheel.

“Not Sarah, Christine, her girlfriend. Poor thing fell on some ice and broke a tooth when she landed. Cracked all the way down to the root. Half of it fell out, and couldn’t be found in the snow. Sarah was out of her mind with worry for Christy, she was in so much pain, and Christy felt so bad making Sarah miss the formal. Girl couldn’t string two words together because of the pain meds she was on, and she still tried to convince Sarah to go without her. Sarah wouldn’t hear of it.”

“You have such good girls Robert. I tell you it fills me with hope…” Nita let the two babble about the driver’s children as she leaned back against the window and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of not just the bus, but the happiness filling her up. Things were going so well, she and Kovit were in school, and Adair was teaching her all about the information business, and they had Diana to hang out with, and now Kovit seemed to like the idea of being her boyfriend. He did blow her that kiss, afterall. And he did recognize the word in Spanish, and Nita knew she hadn’t told him what it was, so obviously, he had looked it up. Which, really, there wasn’t an easy word for “it’s complicated” to get strangers off your back, and from the outside, living with someone for most of a year, sharing a bed to sleep in even if it was really  _ just  _ sleeping, and living like a couple...did that make you a couple? Was Kovit really testing the waters with his leveling up jokes and date quest jokes? Did she respond badly if he was? Nita felt a rush of insecurity fill her chest. She jumped when a hand was gently placed on her shoulder, the same shoulder as before. The older woman in the seat ahead of her was smiling at her gently.

“It’s alright dear. We’ve all been where you’re at. The giddiness leaves you feeling high as a kite, then the insecurity makes you crash like a stone. Let me tell you a secret,” She leaned over and lowered her voice, and Nita felt herself lean in to listen. “Your young man is feeling the exact same way. The rush of happiness, the relief of finally telling you, the fear of ‘did I say too much, the wrong thing, did I just ruin everything?’ My husband and I were together for 48 years before I had to say goodbye last spring.” Nita saw the tears form in her eyes, even though her smile stayed serene. “And every year, on our anniversary, my Jonathan would remind me of how lucky he was that he found the courage to finally, _finally_ , say something. We were friends for a very long time before he found that courage. And he made me a very happy woman.”

Nita took a deep breath and licked her lips. “What if he hadn't found the courage. Would you have said something?” The woman’s face turned thoughtful.

“I’m not sure. Back then, it wasn’t done, not by proper young ladies. But I had had others ask me, and I turned them down, because my heart was set on my Jonathan. Men with more means than Jonathan, or different, better means than him. It didn’t matter. When we were together, no one else existed. You are going to see your young man soon?” Nita nodded, and left it at that. The woman smiled again. “When you see him, you will see it. Once you are together, no one else will matter dear. Others may try to get his attention, to show him how attractive they are, but he will not see it. His eyes will be filled only with you. That is how you know he is sincere.” Nita smiled, letting her words fill her with comfort.

“It’s not just about if he likes me though. There’s a lot going on in our lives that we have to juggle, and I worry about him getting sick. He has a..” Nita tried to think of a polite way to put Kovit’s need to eat pain, and couldn’t really think of one, “A condition, is the best way to describe it, I guess, and we’re having a hard time managing to get him what he needs for it.” The woman chuckled deep in her chest.

“Oh my dear. You have no idea how much it fills me with joy to hear you speak so lovingly about him. I don’t mean to make light of any medical condition he might have, but the fact that you care so much about his well being proves that this is love, not just physical attraction. Many people struggle in this life, and what gives us the strength to get through it is love, and the support of those we love. The two of you will do just fine.” The bus came to a lurching stop as the driver carefully pumped the brakes, and the woman glanced up. She smiled at Nita once more and patted her shoulder before withdrawing her hand. “This is my stop dear. Release your worries for now, and focus on what good has come your way. If you are going to school at the University, our schedules should be fairly regular, and I’ll see you next week. You and your young man stay safe.” She gathered up her purse and a couple of bags, before stepping into the aisle and swiping her metrocard. The driver helped her off the bus and safely to the sidewalk before returning to his seat after the last passenger disembarked, and Nita waved to her as the bus pulled away from the stop.

Nita leaned back against the window again and smiled, thinking over what the woman had said. The past 5 months had been surprisingly peaceful, all things considered, as far as the blackmarket players were concerned. The trials for Nita and Kovit were highly publicized, but the lawyer provided by Fabricio was excellent. Kovit’s slow recovery from his injuries in Buenos Aires had lended him sympathy with the public, and the continued suspension of the DUL and investigations into INHUPS’s corruption had weakened their testimony. Kovit and Nita had been able to get off on technicalities, and along with supporting evidence of C-PTSD diagnosis for both of them, they were able to avoid any prison time so far, as long as they complied with the court-mandated therapy sessions. 

So far, according to what Adair and Nita could find, the black market chatter seemed to agree that Kovit and Nita were simply too hot to move on at the moment, and any possible return not worth the effort. While the trials were over, Kovit walking around freely as a known zannie was still a novelty with the press, and he still garnered plenty of paparazzi, which irritated him to no end. Mainly of course, because while everyone was watching his actions like a hawk, which they had talked about and had tried to plan for, they had known that his favorite activities of tourture were no longer available for him to use to provide for his need to feed on pain. So they were very much still in the public’s eye and if anything happened to them, it would cause too much of a stir. Which protected them, but also caused them their second and third problems.

The second one being issues with housing. Not with paying for housing. With Nita’s parents gone, and Diana’s help, Nita had full access to her parent’s accounts, so her and Kovit would be able to live quite comfortably for a long time with just what her father had worked for, without even needing to touch the illicit accounts. No, the problem came when people realized who would be moving in. They had been in a private apartment through student housing before the trials, but once the vultures descended, other students started talking, and one thing led to another, where another student had grabbed Nita in front of Kovit, shouting obscenities at her and bruising her arm. Kovit had tackled the young man and pulled his blade, and while Nita had been able to calm Kovit down and stop him before any other harm beyond the young man wetting himself in fear and humiliation, parents had complained, and the administration had had to do something to placate them. 

So, it was back to Adair’s they went. Nita was trying to find them an apartment with controlled access in the city, so that their notoriety wouldn’t be such a burden to Adair, but the search wasn’t going so well. Other people didn’t want the liability if another incident like what happened with the student were to happen on their property, and no matter how much Nita tried to explain that that’s why they were looking for a  _ SECURED _ building, the message didn’t seem to get through. Which left them with their third problem, and part of the reason for Nita’s insecurity. Fan Girls. 

Kovit had groupies. While the paparazzi had calmed down, and no longer snapped dozens of photos of him every  _ single _ time he stepped foot out the door of the shop, the women had  _ not  _ lost interest. If anything, the longer Kovit went without incident and without anything interesting to give the press, the hungrier the women seemed to be for him. At first, when the trials were first over and they had just returned to the shop, the women were content to wait outside with the reporters for a glimpse. Then it got really cold, and a daring few made their way in, and pretended to browse. The first time it happened, Adair almost lost his composure because it was so obvious and the woman had absolutely no idea how to be discrete. After the fifth time, he posted No Loitering signs, and the women began to buy items. After the third week, Kovit started to only leave after dark, and Adair started to raise his prices. Nothing deterred them. They had returned to the shop at the end of October, and for 8 weeks now, it felt like they had vultures hovering over them. Admittedly, maybe not the bloodthirsty ones of the blackmarket, but just as cutthroat in their own way.

Nita sighed, frustrated with herself. She knew she had no right feeling threatened by the women who were attracted to Kovit, and it wasn’t fair to blame him, he couldn’t help how he looked or if someone else found his dangerous aura attractive. She certainly did and couldn’t bring herself to tell him. And he had tempered his behavior around people to give off less of “I’m going to eat you alive” vibes to more “I’ll just have a nibble” ones, and afterall, it was her own idea to play the broody reformation card. If she had anyone to blame for the women being drawn to him like moths to a flame, it was herself. Nita sighed again as she saw that her stop was approaching, and grabbed her stuff to get ready to face the cold again.

There were 4 women in the shop when Nita got there, with Adair at the register with his laptop. He was typing away with one earbud in, his eyes darting around every few seconds, and Nita idly wondered if he had bugged the apartment again. She and Kovit checked every week, but it had been a few days, and she grinned at him as she walked up to the counter, shedding her bag and coat. Adair glanced at her with a brow raised and his too sharp grin as she leaned over and cupped her chin in one hand, tapping her ear with a finger and glancing at the ceiling in reply. Adair chuckled darkly.

“So mistrustful, how can you stand to be my apprentice?” Nita snorted. “No, not upstairs.” He twirled a finger in a small circle and motioned towards the shop and the street. Nita looked over her shoulder at the women pretending to ignore the door that led upstairs. Visibly deflating, she put her chin back into her hand and groaned, rolling her eyes. Adair’s grin flickered, showing his too full mouth for a moment. “Aww, trouble in paradise? Is the honeymoon over? If you hadn't broken my toys, I could advise you better you know.” Nita glared at him while Adair simply laughed. “It’s nothing to have kittens over Nita. They mean nothing to Kovit, and they don’t know him. Not like you do. Besides, he’s happier than I've ever seen him, being with you.” Adair straightened up and cleared his throat as one of the women came closer to the counter, carrying a basket with a few Asian themed items in it. She was beautifully made up, her strawberry blonde hair in a neat chignon and her thick wrap sweater a deep burgundy that stood out nicely from her tan slacks. As she placed the basket on the counter, she glanced at Nita sidewise, and gave a small sniff of her nose.

Nita bristled at the dismissal as the woman turned her face to Adair. “Excuse me sir, I’m terribly sorry. I know you have no loitering signs posted, but my friend had to stay late after class to speak with our professor, and if I don’t get going now, I’m going to be late for an appointment. Would you be able to hold these items for her until she arrives?” Adair lifted an eyebrow in amusement as he glanced at the basket, and then typed something into his computer. Glancing over it quickly, Adair gave the woman his too sharp smile, and she shifted nervously.

“I’ll be happy to hold these items til the end of the day. Do you know when your friend will be in to pick them up?” The woman beamed

“Oh, perhaps an hour, hour and a half or so??”

“Perfect.” Adair took the woman’s name down, which was Rachael, and placed the basket under the counter. It was then that disaster struck, because Kovit entered from the apartment door, wearing one of the extra UoT shirts that Nita had gotten him. Rachael perked up, smoothing her hair and tugging her sweater tighter as Kovit made his way over to the counter. Nita looked up at him, his dark eyes sparkling with wicked humor, and her breath caught in her throat. While his posture looked relaxed, Nita could tell by the tension in his shoulders and neck that he was forcing himself to look that way, and his hands that were hidden in his pockets were probably bunched into fists, given the way the muscles stood out in his arms. There were also dark circles under his eyes, and his color wasn’t good. Even so, Nita could feel her heart start to race. Even when hungry for pain, Kovit looked so attractive that Nita felt her breath catch in her throat every time she saw him. Attraction warred with worry, however. They had been having issues finding consistent sources of pain for Kovit to consume that didn’t involve him torturing people, and from the small twitches and tremors Kovit was giving off, he was really starting to feel it. Nita was so lost in her musings that she lost track of the conversation between Adair and Rachael, until a hand stretched past her face, and she jerked back with a glare at the woman, who was holding her hand out to Kovit with a huge smile.

“I’m sorry for not introducing myself earlier, my name’s Rachael. I’m a fellow student at UoT! Maybe I’ll see you around campus sometime?” Everyone stared at her wide eyed as the blonde ignored them, focusing only on Kovit, who glanced at her hand before looking back up at her and letting his face fall into his signature uncaring smirk. Rachael’s smile faltered and her hand trembled slightly before she withdrew it as Kovit took a small step back and looked over to Nita.

“Interesting admissions guidelines they have, huh?” he quipped and Nita had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Rachael adjusted her sweater again.

“Well, I h-had best be going, I-I don’t want to be l-late.” Rachael glanced around and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. Adair grinned meanly.

“Of course, your  _ appointment _ . No worries ma’am. I’ll hold onto these items for your  _ friend _ . We’re open for a few more hours, so even if she’s running late, it’s fine.” Rachael tried and failed to give him a charming smile, and then practically fled the shop. Nita glared after her, emotions in a whirlwind as her hand traced the Y shape the scalpel would follow during a dissection without thought. She didn’t even hear the conversation that Kovit and Adair were having besides her. She caught sight of the other women in the shop peering at Kovit and whispering to each other around the shelves. They were ogling Kovit like a piece of meat, and all Nita wanted to do was crack open their chests and carve out their lustful hearts. A thought popped into her head, that these women who knew nothing about Kovit, would willingly go with him somewhere secluded, thinking they were going to have some fantasy fulfilled, and they would be turned into a meal for Kovit instead. It was so painful Nita felt like she was going to scream. Instead, Nita choked back her anger and stormed away from the scene, and headed upstairs, leaving a very confused Adair and Kovit behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, side note. go to this website. https://map.utoronto.ca/?id=1809#!ce/48514?ct/45469,48901 If you go to the Mississauga campus, and look at the Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex, that was the main inspiration for the building that Nita takes her classes in. However, the street view only shows the outside. So I had to make up the inside. And then I was poking around, and visited the Scarborough campus. And they have a Science building too. and wouldn't you guess it, it's in two parts, and the Science Wing, otherwise known as S-Wing, has a huge atrium. And that ones map, on street level, if you pull the little yellow dude close enough to the green tab titled S-Wing, it WILL show you the inside of the building. And damn it it wasn't fucking close to what I was picturing, only with a lot more concrete, fewer plants, and less cool stuff hanging down. 
> 
> But that's ok, because the DNA strand was actually taken from my Highschool. We had an atrium in the rotunda at the front office, built the year before I entered. And it was two stories, and the art department and metal-shop did a collaborative working. The art students made blown-glass baubles for the end pieces in four different colors, and the metal-shop students did the connecting pieces to make up the strand. It hung in the atrium for my freshman year before it won an award and got shipped off to make a tour around the US. That was 14-odd years ago now, and I'm not sure where it ended up. It never made it back to my school, cause we got some decorative glass pieces that hung down afterwards, and they stayed nice for a while, but I visited my mom who works at the school, and to pick up cousins, and they are all shattered and broken now. Kids had thrown books and shit at them.
> 
> And that children, is why we can't have nice things. And get things like Covid. The mask is supposed to cover the mouth and the NOSE the WHOLE FUCKING TIME!!!!
> 
> Anyways. Let me know what you think. Next chapter will have a major OC come in, and some smut. Yup, no slow burn here folks, I love ya!! So give me some love back!!


	2. The line between Pleasure and Pain is Hunger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nita finds herself in a spiral of anger that she can't break out of on her own, so she reaches out for help, introducing a very important OC. They give Nita some perspective and encourage her to talk with Kovit, and to express her feelings properly. Lets see where that leads....

Reaching their room, Nita slammed the door closed behind her, chest heaving despite not being out of breath. She tossed her coat and bag aside, then stumbled blindly to the bathroom and turned on the water, staring into her dark brown eyes while the steam wafted around her and clouded the mirror, obscuring her features. The porcelain groaned under her grip as she squeezed the sink, feeling on the verge of tears as a terrified whisper escaped her.

“I am not my mother. I do not own Kovit. I do not need to get this angry!” Nita whimpered helplessly and washed her face, then turned off the water and sat on the edge of the tub. Pulling out her phone, Nita opened her contacts and hesitated. She was in way over her head. While at first Nita had been outraged when the judge had ordered therapy for her and Kovit, their lawyer had pulled through for them yet again. Given the extremity of their case, the lawyer had argued that any public sector therapist may have a basis against helping the two, so had been able to strike a deal that they would be able to seek private help with a review board every few months made up of several different types of doctors. This helped keep things impartial, and kept rumors of bribery to a minimum. 

Kovit was on his 3rd therapist. The first two had been unable to handle his unnerving tendencies, even with Kovit tempering himself. This one seemed to be doing alright. Nita was on her second one, since the first had tried to diagnose her with Stockholm Syndrome and argued that Nita needed to be placed in protective custody while Kovit was held for abuse. Nita had shut him down very quickly, with Adair’s help. Her second therapist, Dr Darico, was an open minded woman almost in her 40s, and Nita had felt drawn to her since their first appointment. She had a sincere warmth and kindness about her, that made it so she could be blunt about situations without being unduly cruel. Dr Darico was able to meet Nita on a clinical and academic level that Nita appreciated greatly, and while she was almost twice Nita’s age and drew on her life experiences to connect with her patients and provide comfort, it wasn’t in a patronizing way. For the first time in her life, Nita felt as though someone older truly saw her as an adult and validated her thought processes, despite her youth. Nita pressed the call button.

“Thank you for calling the offices of Toronto’s Premiere Mental Health Services, if you know your party’s extension number please press it now. For our directory, please press 0, for …” Nita entered the extension for Darico, and listened to the “soothing” music that was pre recorded. Thankfully Dr Darico didn’t have any ads on her private line, unlike most of the public ones. Nita focused on slowing her breathing as she tried to force the picture of her mother’s smirking face from her mind. A few moments later, the phone was picked up, and Darico’s calm voice flooded her ear.

“Dr. Darico’s office, Darico speaking. How may I help you?”

“Doctor, it’s Nita Sanchez.” The words tumbled out in a rush, and Nita closed her eyes. Why couldn’t she get herself under control?

“Nita?! Hello. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you until your appointment next Friday. What’s happened dear?” There was rustling on the other end of the line, like papers were being moved, and Nita swallowed hard.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, doctor. It’s stupid, but I got angry, and I can’t think straight, and I can’t calm down, and I don’t know what else to do, or who else to talk to about it, or really how to talk about it, Um, I-I-I” She held her breath for a moment to try and stop the word vomit and Darico spoke up.

“Nita, it’s alright. You’re not interrupting anything. My office closed 20 minutes ago, so you don’t have to worry about another patient cutting in. Start from the beginning and take your time.” 

“I got back from class today and..” Nita explained the situation at the pawnshop earlier, with some minor details missing like Adair’s eavesdropping. Nita was comfortable with Dr Darico, but she wasn’t sure how far she could be trusted, even with laws protecting confidentiality. Nita was still a player in the black market, and while she and Adair had done their best to try and find neutral doctors for her and Kovit, it was a catch 22 situation; how much could they be trusted, vs how much would put both sides in danger. And Adair had seemed to deflate when Darico’s name came up on the list of potential therapists the second time, even though he assured Nita that nothing was wrong, and that if she could, Nita should get her sessions with Darico. After Nita was done, Darico let out a low hum.

“So after this woman’s dismissal of you and obvious attempts at flirtation with Kovit, that’s when the anger began to mount. And when her attempts failed, the other women’s continued objectification of Kovit, along with worry over his condition sent you into a spiral, am I hearing that right?” There was the sound of writing, then a mouse being clicked.

“I told you it was stupid.” Nita said in a small voice, feeling petty and, for some reason, ungrateful.

“Not at all, actually. It helps clarify a few things for me, really. But before I tell you the direction my thoughts are trending, I have a few other questions I want to ask. When we first started our sessions, you stated that the relationship between you and Kovit wasn’t sexual. Do you feel that the two of you may need to revisit that decision?” Nita’s breath whooshed out of her. She felt exposed, and vulnerable. She hadn’t meant for that topic to be brought up, but if she was being honest, at least with herself, Darico was probably onto something. She did want more, she just didn’t know how to go about telling Kovit. Nita realized too late that she hadn’t answered yet.

“Um..I don’t know...Do you think we should?” she asked, her voice squeaky.

“We’ll get to that in a minute, but it leads into my next question, which you’ve managed to avoid pretty well the few times I've tried to push the conversation in this direction. From most of what’s been researched on zannies, the myth that they hurt others  _ purely  _ because they seek the pleasure they receive from giving pain to others is a lie. There is a physical need to feed on pain, and the lack of doing so causes them physical harm correct?” Dr Darico’s voice was gentle, for all it was clinical, but Nita’s heart began to race.

“Yes.”

“But is it true that they do feel pleasure from consuming the pain of others?” Nita bit her lip and grimaced.

“Yes.” She forced the word out and braced herself for recrimination. Flashes of the other student screaming at her ran through her mind. 

“Then is it possible that some of the anger and insecurity may stem from feelings of inadequacy for not being able to provide for Kovit’s needs in this area? From having difficulties in finding a source of pain for him to feed on that doesn’t break the law so he remains both in good health and good legal standing, to the fact that it may involve someone besides you that, in a very real sense, gives him great physical pleasure? Outside of polyamourous or open relationships, most people wouldn’t be ok with their partner seeking someone else to fulfill a physical need like that. It would feel like betrayal and cheating.” Darico’s voice was matter of fact, and Nita could hear the creak of leather as she leaned back in her chair. The panic building in her chest broke apart and disappeared. 

“Wait....what?” Nita felt like her mind had stalled.

“Well, from the other sessions we’ve had, and from what I’ve pieced together today, it sounds like you and Kovit are in a very committed relationship, but your needs are fluctuating, and for some reason, you are hesitant to express them to him. I know you stated at first neither you nor Kovit had much interest in sex, but like all things human, desire and want grow and change, and they exist on a spectrum. You very well may have been asexual, but things may have changed, and you may be demisexual now. Just like you can’t wear the clothes you wore when you were six years old now that you’re almost 20, sometimes labels change.”

“Demisexual?” Nita asked quietly, hearing the door to the apartment open and close quietly, and Kovit moving around in the kitchen.

“Yes, it’s a term coined by the LGBTQA+ community. More specifically the Asexual community, for those that don’t usually feel physical desire for someone, anyone really, unless they have developed a deep emotional bond first. I’ll send you an email with links to some wiki articles that you might find helpful. Heavens know they helped me and my husband, and several other patients of mine.” There was a knock on the door, and Nita opened it to see Kovit’s worried face.

“One moment doctor,” Nita smiled at him shakily “Hi”

“Hey,” Kovit’s black eyes searched her face, looking for something. “You ok? You stormed out really fast….” he said softly, and started to reach for her before he changed direction and ran his hand through his hair, looking away. Nita bit her lip and placed her hand on his elbow, and Kovit glanced back at her from under his lashes.

“Yeah. Dr Darico is helping. I’ll be out soon. Unless?” Kovit shook his head, and brushed his fingers across her cheek gently. 

“Just worried. Take your time though.” Nita nodded and smiled at him, then closed the door and sat back down. Taking a big breath, she put the phone back to her ear.

“Sorry. I’m back.”

“That’s perfectly alright Nita. This is how house calls go.” Nita let out a shaky laugh.

“Honestly? I thought it was gonna go a lot worse there for a bit.” At Darico’s inquisitive noise, she chuckled. “About Kovit eating pain.”

“Ah. You expected a frothing at the mouth speech about fire and brimstone and paying for sins, etc and so forth?” Nita wasn’t sure if the sound she was making was a laugh or a sob at that point. Darico’s voice was amused and self-depreciating. “I have no soap box to stand on Nita. Judging you and Kovit won’t help either of you. I know you have reservations on how much you can trust me with. Which is fair, you’ve only known me for a few months, and at that, we’ve only talked for a couple of hours each week. But I did follow your trials Nita. And before you get upset,” here the doctor’s tone became firm, because Nita’s breath came faster, “Not just the media, the trials. Media can be manipulated, on both sides. I saw the videos released by you, and the ones released by INHUP, witness testimony, all of it. And from all of that, all I know for sure is that you both were strong enough to survive very intense situations. You were given limited choices, and you took the course that you thought would keep you alive. My job isn’t to condemn you, but to help you learn the tools to make better choices, if that is what you want.”

Nita was silent for several long moments, staring at her hands. She ached to do another dissection.

“What if I don’t want to be a good person? What if I can’t be?” she asked, and Darico sighed gently. 

“If that was the case, you wouldn’t have asked for help today. You would have lashed out at Kovit instead. And good is relative most of the time. Every single person on the face of this planet has a monster inside them in some shape or form. It is up to them to face that monster and come to terms with it, to take responsibility for it, to learn to be in control of it. We all enjoy the pain of others, otherwise there would be no bullies, no tabloids making money off of the fall of superstars, no dictators subjugating millions, no rape, no gossip, no office backstabbing, etc, etc. There is no perfectly good person. But you can work to be a better person. What most people don’t realize is that the work never ends, we’re just creatures of habit. So those that are in the habit of being kind continue that trend. And vice versa. Until habit becomes character, or until something comes along to challenge or change our habits. It’s a medium mixture of the nature versus nurture argument in psychology.”

Nita was quiet as she thought back over Kovit talking about being stuck on the hamster wheel, how even once freed of the Family and Reyes, he was still stuck doing the same thing over and over until her mother shot him and they were apprehended and had to face trial. How she felt they were stuck in situations where they were still caged, reacting to everything instead of making things happen. Darico hummed quietly as Nita processed.

“So if a situation comes along that forces change, someone can become a moral person without meaning to?” Nita wasn’t sure if she liked the idea of anything changing herself or Kovit. She had spent a long time coming to terms with who they both were, and wasn’t sure how to feel at the thought of them both fundamentally changing. She wasn’t expecting Darico to laugh at her question though.

“Nita,” she started gently, “The debate of what is right and wrong has been raging for as long as humanity has been able to look at itself and recognize its reflection. It has given rise and been the downfall of empires and religions around the globe and across the landscape of time. If I may quote my favorite sci-fi, “The needs of the many, versus the needs of the few.”” Nita shared in the doctor’s laugh that time. “Hey, can’t beat the classics sometimes. But if we actually applied that saying to your case, you wouldn’t be here Nita. It’s wonderful to sit here in a society that provides for our safety and say, “Oh I would do this'', or “I would give up my life for this cause”, and so on. But until we are actually put in that position and faced with the very real possibility of our own death, we don’t know the lengths we would go, or the depths we will dive to, to preserve ourselves. Sometimes sanity is forsaken for another breath. Other times, we hold our morals and sanity as more important, and we cling to rules we create to maintain them. Both are survival. But either way, it’s a cost versus benefit equation that can only be computed in the moment.”

Nita sighed heavily. Darico was being extremely kind, and very patient with her. Perhaps it was time to stop beating around the bush.

“Doctor, you said you saw the videos that were released, yes?” Darico murmured in agreement. “We’re having trouble finding consistent pain for Kovit to eat that fits within his rules and doesn’t,” Nita paused, then licked her lips and continued in a rush, “Doesn’t involve torture. The longer he goes without eating pain the sicker he gets, but normal aches and pains that people feel don’t help, and for some reason, here lately, the ER has been empty.” Nita closed her eyes and held her breath while Darico hummed in thought. Her chair creaked again as she shifted.

“What do you mean by normal pains? And you said Kovit has rules for the types of pain he will eat, can you explain that a little more?” Nita let her breath out at the concern in Darico’s voice. 

“Well, the way Kovit explained it, was that everyday pain, like sore muscles, headaches, those sort of things, they aren’t strong enough for him to feed on. He feels them, but they’re more like annoyances. It takes something much stronger, longer lasting, to feed him. And as far as rules regarding what sort of pain he won’t eat, the ones he’s talked with me about would be that he doesn’t hurt children at all, doesn’t hurt people he knows, and he doesn’t eat sexual pain. Though I don’t know if the last one was more because of the children forced into the brothels in the Death Market, or a general rule. And when he was being used by others, he wasn’t really allowed outside at all, unless they were using him, so the only pain he had access to was what was brought to him.” The doctor was quiet for a few moments before she cleared her throat. When she did speak, her voice was soft and thoughtful.

“It’s no wonder Kovit prefers torture then. It’s the only thing that kept him safe, physically and mentally. His position and abilities made people fear him, which gave him power and  _ kept  _ him in his position, which gave him control to a point. So he had some say over  _ who  _ he tortured, which helped him keep his rules in place, which helped him keep his sanity. Any physical or emotional enjoyment he gets out of the torture sessions are tertiary, but easier and more present in his conscious mind to focus on, which made his rules  _ necessary  _ to keep his sanity…” Darico trailed off, her voice sounding sad. Nita was speechless at the lack of judgement, and at how astute she had been. To deduce that Kovit enjoyed hurting people was a bit disconcerting, especially since they were playing the angsty brooding reformation card for the public. Nita was afraid she had just ruined 5 months of Kovit’s hard work. 

“Doctor..” She said quietly, gripping her phone tightly.

“I’m sorry Nita. I didn’t mean to go quiet on you. Just sorting my thoughts, trying to think of ways to help you and Kovit. As far as working through the traumas that you two have had, unfortunately, what will help with that is time, and talking through it. So, you are doing good on that part. I can’t tell you how happy I am you reached out to me Nita. It may not seem like it, but that is progress. You said Kovit is getting along with his new therapist, yes?”

“Yeah.” Nita replied, her throat still tight.

“Good. That’s good. Even if it is just to comply with the judge’s orders, the fact that he’s trying to do that much is great in the eyes of the court and the media, so you’re on the right track there. However, if things get dicey, let me know, and I can give him a better referral. The fact that you have stayed with me for so long will give the referral more credit, and will maybe make the judge a bit more lenient if they start to get testy about Kovit complying with court orders. Plus I have a few colleagues that share some of my thought processes where it comes to these sorts of situations, so if Kovit ever wants more help, they may be able to do so.” There were more sounds of keys clacking as Nita took a breath. It didn’t sound like Darico was planning on telling the world they were frauds. 

“Now, onto the more pressing concern of finding Kovit other sources of pain to eat that won’t have him picked up by the police. It may be that you are missing the forest for the trees in this case.” Darico’s voice took on a bit of a teasing tone.

“What do you mean?” Nita asked, rubbing her head in confusion. The switch in the conversation had left her reeling.

“Well, the ER is somewhere people go to get fixed up after an accident, or go to when there’s a life threatening situation happening. I was a nurses assistant for several years before my body couldn’t handle the workload and I moved on to my psychology degree. There would be some nights, sometimes a few in a row, that I can remember where it would have been a buffet for someone in Kovit’s situation. But on the flip side, there were weeks, literally weeks, where we nurses were making up paperwork to keep ourselves awake on the evening shift, which in it’s own way was paradise for us, but would have been a famine for him. So for comparison, an ER would be like a high class restaurant, with a really exclusive waiting list. No guarantee you can get in and eat. On the other extreme you have torture, which; using the cooking comparison; is like a diet of fast food, tv dinners, and ramen. Quick, cheap, easy to acquire, but not healthy for a variety of reasons, mostly due to legality, and sometimes morality.” the bemused addition at the end had Nita chuckling.

“Yeah.” 

“Not gonna lie, there are some people you just want to see get hurt. We human beings are petty creatures like that. But, regardless of morality, like most things in life, and to bring things full circle to the beginning of our conversation today to include intimacy and sex, you can find middle ground in finding Kovit pain to eat as well. I don’t think it has to be all feast or famine in either case. Since I have never been privy to any sessions with Kovit, in any sense of the word, beside the activist that spoke against him for his trial, were there other times when he held back and only caused non life threatening injuries?”

Nita thought of the times with Gold, her arm in a sling and her on crutches, as well as Fabricio’s screams of pain and rage. Mirella’s accusing stare and screams still stared in her dreams from time to time. How Kovit found out one of his online friends had fibromyalgia when they met. The man who had fallen when Kovit had been a child.

“It doesn’t have to be life threatening. He doesn’t even have to be the one causing the pain.” she said softly, tracing the shape of a Y on her leg.

“So it just needs to be a higher than normal level of pain that lasts. Well, then I would think there are plenty of options then.” Darico clicked a few more keys as her voice took on an interested tone. “And if Kovit doesn’t have to cause the pain, that opens even more. The first one that comes to mind, keeping his rules in thought, would be a boxing match.”

“Boxing?” Nita was incredulous. Shocked that she hadn’t thought of it herself. It was so simple. People knocking each other about willingly, happily, for trophies, money, bragging rights. Missing the forest for the trees indeed.

“Yup.” Darico replied happily. “One of the oldest sports known to man, to prove who has the biggest junk. Who can take the most hits and stay standing. Totally legal, well, unless you go looking for underground fighting rings, but that's a  _ choice  _ that might put you in a position where you  _ have  _ to deal with the black market again, and at least in legal matches the participants are completely willing. And there are plenty of other extreme sports where injuries are likely, but not truly serious, like roller derby, paintball, so on. Or you might be able to talk with a tattoo and piercing place, and see if they are comfortable about him sitting in the building while people get work done. The culture around tattoos and piercings already have a mindset about turning pain into beauty and pleasure, so don’t discount them. Then there are other options, but they cross into territory that may violate Kovit’s rules, depending on the specifics of said rules.” Darico was sounding thoughtful again. Nita felt herself blush, guessing where the doctor was going, but for Kovit’s sake, made herself ask anyway.

“You’re talking about sexual pain, right?”

“Yes and no. While it is true that many people who seek out the kink lifestyle do so for sexual release, just like everything else it exists on a spectrum, and there are people who seek it out for emotional release. I believe the term is called “Finding subspace” where the person is carried away by the pain, similar to the way a chemical high or a religious fervor can cause an altered state of mind, to a place where everyday worries or fears don’t exist for a time. People find this subspace through many different ways, through sex, music, faith, meditation. And yes, self-flagellation.”

“Magdarame. Penitentes. During Holy Week in South America. They would whip themselves in order to purify themselves of sins and to share the burden of Christ.”

“Yes. Now, the reason I don’t suggest finding a church that practices this and asking for help is because of a difference in ideology. They practice self-flagellation to drive out sin and  _ remove _ the desire for pleasure. And where Kovit would be deriving pleasure from their pain, they may have a conflict of interest there.” 

“And someone who does it  _ for _ pleasure may be more open minded?” Nita asked, chewing on her lip, feeling her brow furrow.

“Possibly. However, it’s also to have someone guide you through the more complex aspects of consent and communication that these kinds of relationships require. Has the thought of  _ you  _ causing yourself harm to give Kovit pain to feed on crossed your mind?” Nita squirmed and remained quiet, and the unspoken answer was evident. “But that may break his rule of not hurting those people he knows and cares for. Or it may not, if  _ you  _ specifically were the one in charge of causing the pain and were setting the limit. Your healing ability comes into play as a complication as well. Someone from the kink lifestyle would have more experience explaining how to communicate boundaries, set up scenarios, set safe words, aftercare, all of that. Also, they would have more knowledge on navigating things together safely so that you reduce any risk of there being accusations of abuse on either side from those outside your relationship.”

“Yeah, my first therapist tried to pull that card on us, and almost got Kovit’s therapy bargain nixed completely.” Nita growled in frustration.

“I remember that. But again Nita, remember, middle ground. You don’t have to dive in head first. Talk with Kovit, and listen to him and his concerns. Whether it is with finding him pain to feed on, or with navigating the intimacy between the two of you, you can take it in stages. Small, shuffling steps are still steps. Now, I’ve been doing a lot of talking. What are you thinking, what are you feeling?” Nita took a moment to gather herself and found she was very calm.

“I’m feeling a lot better. You’ve given me a lot to think about. I don’t know what I think about the kink idea, but I do like the tattoo one. And the sports one. I could go to events with Kovit, they could be dates.” Nita looked at her hand and giggled. “I guess we’ve been cooped up and stuck in our heads too much to really think about it clearly. And I always wondered if I could get a tattoo, what with my ability. I could share that with him.” Darico chuckled, and Nita blew out a breath. “And I really do need to talk with Kovit about being closer. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable or push him away if he doesn’t feel the same, but at the same time, I can’t let my worry and frustration and jealousy get out of control and push him away that way either, can I?” she asked sadly.

“No, you can’t. It’s scary to open up about, but you can’t make up his answers for him, and he can’t read your mind.” Darico answered gently. “But I have a feeling he’s just as worried about losing you as you are about losing him. Be gentle and patient with each other, and remember, it’s ok if things are a bit awkward at times. It’s ok to laugh, to be silly, to break the tension. Just be real, and be yourself. Take it from someone who has been happily married for 20 some years. The occasional embarrassing bodily noise is gonna happen, or an inquisitive pet is gonna interrupt and completely upset any mood you try to set. Learn to laugh now, believe me, it helps.” Nita burst out laughing at the idea, she couldn’t help it. “See? It helps.  _ And _ , discuss protection. Babies are expensive, and tend to interrupt far more often than cats.” Nita cringed, but couldn’t stop her giggling.

“Yes doctor. Thank you, for everything.”

“You’re very welcome Nita. I’ll get that email out to you in a bit, and if you need anything before your appointment on Friday, I’m in the office all next week, alright?”

“Alright. Thank you again Doctor. If you could include info on the ah, um, kink, stuff as well, that would be appreciated. We may not use it right away, but I can’t discount anything that might help Kovit.” 

“Of course. And it will be as professional as possible, I promise. You have a good evening Nita.”

“Good night Darico.” Nita hung up and looked at the timer on her phone. She and Darico had talked for almost an hour. No wonder Kovit was worried. Some of it was awkward as could be, but in reality, she didn’t have anyone else to ask. Nita knew the mechanics of sex and pregnancy from her reading and learning about bodies to learn more about her abilities, but for so many years, her mother and father had not been in the same country, let alone same house, so learning how to have a relationship was not something her mother ever talked to her about. Nita’s mother had grudgingly told her more complex ideas to stop or restart her monthly cycle, simply to avoid complications that came from smelling of blood while on a hunt, and Nita had found for the past few years life was just easier without the worry and mess. Since she had never found herself drawn to anyone in particular, Nita hadn’t really thought about it much beyond that at the time, but now that Dr Darico had mentioned it, it could be useful if she and Kovit were to decide to become active.

“Get yourself together, you have to talk with him first!” she muttered to herself, standing up and washing her hands in the sink. Nita felt her heart flutter with nerves as she walked to the door and opened it, peeking out. Kovit was laying on his back on the bed, one arm slung across his eyes, body radiating exhaustion. ~And he’s hungry for goodness sake. Get your mind out of the gutter until he can think clearly at least.~ Nita looked at her hand and pursed her lips in thought as she walked over to the bed, and slowly sat down next to Kovit. He moved his arm away from his eyes and looked at her softly.

“Hey. Feeling better?” Kovit’s eyes were hooded with worry when Nita looked at him, and she gave him a small smile as she nodded. “What’s going on Nita? Was it something I said?” Nita raised an eyebrow at him. “Adair was talking, and I tried to ask you something to include you, but you didn’t seem to hear. Then in the middle of me responding to him, you took off. So I thought, with earlier, and maybe...I said…” Kovit trailed off and looked away, sighing heavily, and Nita felt her heart pinch.

“Oh, Kovit, I’m sorry. It wasn’t that, I promise. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Nita looked down and took her bottom lip between her teeth again. Reaching out, she laced her fingers between Kovit’s, and swallowed a sigh when he gripped her hand in desperation. “It sounds cliche, but it’s me, not you.” Kovit’s grip tightened more.

“Why does that sound like we’re breaking up?” His voice sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but Kovit still wasn’t looking at her, and the casualness was too forced. Nita let out her breath in a sobbing giggle.  
“Told you it sounds cliche. But breaking up is the last thing I want Kovit. Truth is, I stormed off because I didn’t want to blow up at you for something you couldn’t control, and Dr Darico helped me to realize I was being a hypocrite getting mad at the women in the shop since they were just being honest about what they wanted, while I’m hiding it.” Kovit was staring at her in utter confusion, the dark circles under his eyes making them look more sunken then normal.

“What the hell are you talking about?” he asked. Nita hung her head and groaned.

“I’m talking about the women who come into the shop hoping for a chance to meet you and chat you up Kovit. Who linger and whisper about your looks and their plans on making you fall for them.” Kovit’s confusion was only getting worse the more Nita spoke “Like Rachael.”

“Who?” Kovit’s voice was bewildered and high pitched, and Nita had to stop herself from laughing from exasperation. Of course he wouldn’t remember. 

“She was at the counter when you came in this afternoon. Tugging on her sweater? Almost smacked me in the nose when she tried to shake your hand and introduce herself? Ringing a bell at all?” Kovit nodded his head slightly, raising up on his elbows.

“And you got mad why?”

“She was hitting on you Kovit. Her tugging on her sweater was trying to draw your attention to her chest, to play on her sex appeal. She was being dismissive of me and Adair, trying to draw your attention to her and her alone.” Kovit gaped like a fish, his jaw dropping wide as he stared at her in shock. Nita gave him a sympathetic nod. “No joke Kovit. And the other women in the shop were hoping for a turn too. If you don’t believe me, ask Adair. He’s bugged the shop, and has had to listen to the so-called “Master plans” to lure you in.” Kovit looked horrified at the thought, like he was going to gag.

“Eugh, why? They don’t know me, why would they chase me like that?”

“You exude bad boy vibes Kovit, and believe me, most girls like that. And the brooding angsty card we’re playing for the media? Any girl who has followed our trials also knows you’re a Zannie, and that ups the excitement level. Most of them showed up after the media circus.” Kovit grimaced in frustration.

“That makes even less sense. If they know I feed on pain, wouldn’t that be a deterrent? Wouldn’t they be scared of becoming my next meal?” Nita flinched at his words, said so naively and with such confusion, and leapt up off the bed to try and distance herself from the pain they caused. Her next words were spoken in a rush.

“Of course they are, but that’s where the excitement comes from, where fear and desire meet and the fantasy develops. You’re a monster that stalks them, wants to eat them, then their goodness or beauty or whatever makes you fall in love and cures you of your monstrosity, turns you from a beast into a man, and you live together, happily ever after,” Nita was pacing and breathing fast, unable to look at Kovit who was staring at her in shock again, and she felt like she was going to cry, but she made herself continue. “They don’t care to know YOU. They don’t WANT to. They don’t care about your needs, your thoughts, your feelings, your rules, your struggles. They don’t care that the fact that you eat pain isn’t a choice that can’t be stopped, or that the fact that you enjoy torture is, or that you’ve fought to kept your sanity through situations that would have broken them a hundred times over. All they want is their fantasy, and to hell with hurting you in the process. And as much as I want to carve their hearts out and feed it to them bit by bit, they don’t deserve the honor of you feeding on their pain!” Kovit sucked in a breath as Nita practically screamed out the last part, hugging herself around the middle and trembling violently. Tears were slipping down her face as she stared at the floor, her pacing having stopped. Kovit slipped off the bed and went to her, lifting her chin up so she looked at him, her eyes filled with frustration and self recrimination.

“I don’t know that any of my victims would consider me feeding on them an honor, I mean, torture can’t feel good to the person experiencing it…” He said gently, and Nita closed her eyes with a pained whimper.

“But it makes  _ you  _ feel good Kovit…” she sobbed, and everything clicked for him. Kovit gathered Nita into his arms, and she buried her face into his neck and shoulder.

“Oh, Nita, sweetheart, it’s ok.”

“I don’t own you Kovit! I don’t have the right to tell you who to feed on!”

“That’s not what you’re doing love.” Kovit rubbed her back, rocking back and forth gently, his face buried in her hair as he breathed in her scent and held her tightly.

“But you need to eat, you’re going to get sick! And I shouldn’t get so angry over something so petty. Over something you can’t control! I shouldn’t be so insecure just because it’s something I can’t provide you. I’m the one that said we didn’t need to worry about kissing and sex and stuff, and I shouldn’t take it out on you just because I might be changing my mind and I’m scared you might not agree. It’s not right or fair to you Kovit!” He peppered her hair and temple with light kisses as his shirt slowly became soaked by her tears, his hands running soothing circles across her back.

“Ssshh, Nita, it’s alright. We’ll figure it out.” walking them backwards to the bed, he sat and pulled her into his lap, never letting her out of his arms. “Breath sweetheart. You’re gonna make yourself sick otherwise.”

“It would serve me right,” Nita hiccuped, trying and failing to calm down. “I’ve been so focused on the extremes that I didn’t think of all the possibilities that exist to find pain for you, and you’re the one that’s suffered for it. Dr Darico had to point it out for me. I feel like a failure.”

“What kind of possibilities are we talking about?” Kovit asked, trying to distract her. Nita sniffled.

“Things like boxing matches, or roller derby. Tattoo parlors. There were a few others that she suggested, but we weren’t sure if they would work with your rules, but she’s going to send us some info in an email so we can look over it and talk about it, and if nothing else, we can save it for later if nothing else helps.” Kovit loosened his arms while Nita shifted into a more comfortable position, and then tightened them again when she settled. He had a thoughtful look on his face as he listened to her list off the doctor’s ideas.

“Those should work. And if not thinking of them yourself means you're a failure, then it means I’m one too. I have a brain of my own, and Matt loved wrestling, we would talk about it for hours. That should have sparked ideas for me, but it didn’t. So no beating yourself up about this, ok?”

“But you’ve gone without for so long Kovit…”

“And now we have some ideas on how to take care of it, while complying with the law. One day at a time Nita.” Kovit brushed her hair out of her face, and pressed his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes softly. Nita bit her lip and nodded.

“You still need something to get by on now though Kovit, and I want to help.” Kovit smiled.

“Well, as late as it is, I don’t know what would be open tonight. But if you want to check and see if any sports centers are available online..” Nita quited him with a finger to his lips.

“No Kovit.  _ I  _ want to help you.” Kovit went very still, and his pupils dilated until they were pools of darkness. 

“If you are asking me to hurt you Nita, the answer is  _ no _ . Absolutely. Irrevocably.  _ No _ .” He didn’t raise his voice, but because of it, Kovit sounded all the more dangerous. Nita felt a thrill of excitement shiver down her spine, and she smiled coyly at Kovit. She traced the angle of his jaw and shook her head slowly.

“That’s not exactly what I meant, no. Remember in the Market, when I turned off my pain receptors?” Kovit narrowed his eyes and nodded warily “And when I turned them back on?” His eyes closed as he swallowed hard, and a tremor passed through Kovit’s body at the memory. Nita had had to disconnect her vocal cords to keep from ripping them by screaming as her body reconnected to her nerve endings, when they had used it as a signal to blow up the Death Market the year before, since disconnecting and reconnecting her nerve endings caused her pain without any damage. She had also used a single finger as a signal before when they were closer, but there at the end they were too far apart so it had been an all or nothing gamble. 

“Nita, that’s too much to ask of you…” Kovit whispered desperately, and he pulled her tighter to his chest, shaking. Nita splayed her hand over his heart, and could feel it’s tempo start to race as she snuggled into his throat.

“I wasn’t planning on using my whole body again Kovit, that  _ would  _ be too much. I was thinking more along the lines of what we did when I needed to signal you at Reyes’ house, but with my hand. And I would go slow, a finger at a time, so it wouldn’t be too overwhelming for me, and so you would have t-time to, well, you know,” Nita felt herself blush and bit her lip, tasting blood, before she finished in a whisper, “Savor it.” 

Kovit’s hand covered hers, pressing it so hard Nita thought it would be shoved straight into his chest to grip his heart, which was doing it’s best to pound its way out of his ribs. The sound of his harsh panting breath against her ear and neck had her feeling like she was going to catch fire any second, and his other arm was wrapped so tightly around her waist, pulling her flush with his hips until she could feel his hardness against her core. Nita whimpered softly and wove the fingers of her other hand into his hair as she clung to him. Kovit groaned and pulled back until he could see her face, his hand sliding up her arm and shoulder until it gripped her chin roughly, forcing her to look him squarely in the eyes. 

“Oh god, Nita, if we take this step, I need you to swear to me,” his voice was rough and husky, and Nita trembled violently, “Swear to me you will do whatever it takes to keep yourself safe.” Nita gasped as her eyes went wide in horror.

“What?”

“If things go too far, if I lose control and try to hurt you, you stop me, no matter what it takes. Do you understand me Nita?”

“Kovit, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying I need your word that no matter how much you want to help me, how much you love me, if you feel like I am a danger to you,” Kovit pulled off his shirt and put Nita’s hand over the scar on his chest where Monica’s bullet almost ended his life, “That you will stop me. Blade, bullet, hell, feed me to Adair, I don’t care. Now, or any time in the future, if I hurt you, that would break me in a way I couldn’t come back from.” She couldn’t bear the feeling of drowning in the pool of desire and worry and care that reflected in Kovit’s eyes, so Nita gripped his hand and pulled him closer to her.

“It will never come to that Kovit. Never.” She couldn’t tell who had the worst case of the shakes. The bed was vibrating under them.

“I need your word Nita,” he pleaded against her throat, his arms wrapped around her waist again as they clung to each other, both seeking and trying to give comfort at the same time. Nita closed her eyes, bared her throat to him, and felt as though her heart was shattering and mending at the same time.

“I swear I’ll stay safe, Kovit. But it will never come to ending your life. Nowhere else am I as safe than right here with you.” Kovit let out a sobbing groan as he began to nibble and kiss his way up Nita’s neck, and he began to rock himself into her core, one hand clutching her hip as the other made its way up to tangle in her hair. Nita couldn’t help the husky moan that escaped her as he traveled upwards, and she gasped at the sensations overwhelming her senses as she matched his pace with her hips. The jealous beast in her soul purred with contentment at his ministrations, and Nita was breathless by the time she pulled Kovit into a fierce kiss, their tongues wrestling for dominance, neither wanting to give ground. After several minutes Kovit pulled back with a whimper, and buried his face in her neck again, the tremors ripping through him. Nita took several deep breaths and dragged her nails across his scalp, doing her best to calm them both down as Kovit fought against his hunger. The muscles in his arms tensed and relaxed, rippling in the lamplight as he held her close, and Nita moved one hand down to rub his neck and across his shoulders. The contradiction of tenderness and tightly leashed violence within the man under her made Nita’s arousal rise to a fever pitch, but in this moment, his needs were more pressing.

“Kovit,” she murmured softly, placing a light kiss on his forehead before gently pressing on his chest until he leaned back. He kept his eyes closed, his face a grimace. “Mi alma, this can wait. You need to eat, and I want to help you. Lay back for me, please.” Kovit’s eyes opened, and there were tears in them.

“Stay with me?” he asked softly, and Nita giggled as her heart melted a bit more.

“Of course, carino.” They shifted around until Kovit was laying back against the pillows, and Nita was snuggled up against his side, her left hand on his bare chest over his scar. Nita laid her head on his left shoulder while that arm wrapped around her shoulders to hold her close, and his free hand traced random patterns up her arm to her wrist.

“Any way I can convince you to use just one finger?” he asked, his voice trembling and nervous. Nita shifted her head and looked at him for a long moment before replying.

“We both know that won’t be enough. You’ve gone too long without eating properly. But I promise if I need to take a break, I will. And just one hand to start. Then we’ll see how you’re feeling, ok?” Kovit swallowed hard, then brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. He held her hand there before nodding with a sigh.

“What did I do to deserve you Nita?”

“We’ve been over this. There is no deserving. Bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people.” Kovit grinned and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. 

“Are we attempting dirty talk now? Are you naughty, Nita?” he asked in a sly teasing tone, and Nita laughed as she gently shoved his face away, and Kovit joined her laughter.

“Maybe later. Now hold me you ass, and let me help you.” They were both still chuckling as Nita settled onto Kovit’s shoulder again, her hand over his heart, his softly caressing her wrist. Nita started by turning off her pain pathways in her fingers and hand up to just past the wrist, and the nociceptors as well. The feeling of having her pain vanish was interesting. One never really knew how much pain they carried with them all the time, the aches and strain that became background noise that your brain filtered out. Nita didn’t lose the sensation of touch, she still felt the heat from Kovit’s chest, still felt the tempo of his heartbeat, the whoosh of his breath as his lungs expanded and closed. But the soreness of carrying her bag was gone, of lifting books and boxes and jars. Of pushing against other students in the quay at the university, of typing papers on her computer and searching for information for Adair. The papercut she had gotten and forgotten to fix that morning. Not numb, not the pins and needles of laying on her arm for too long and losing blood flow while a professor droned on and on. Just, empty possibility. 

Kovit shifted next to her and Nita looked up, seeing that he was taking deep breaths and had closed his eyes again. He couldn’t feed on those small aches and pains, but he could still feel all of them, and the lack of them signaled that she was starting, without her needing to say anything. Nita felt an odd calm settle over her, a sense of safety as Kovit’s arm squeezed her shoulders and his free hand gripped her wrist, and she closed her eyes with a smile, then turned on the pathways and receptors to her pinky finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I'm writing this story in one long document, and I know, I promised smut right away. I'm sorry. I was getting everything ready to load, and was looking at how it was written, and realized, holy shit, if I don't break things up, my chapter lengths are going to be super crazy and unmanageable. So a bit of a tease and a cliffhanger for this chapter. But again, it's not really a slow burn kind of story. I mean, it is, but it isn't. If you bear with me, you'll see what I mean over the next couple of chapters. They're already mostly written, just need some fine tuning and finishing. I've been scene hopping and going back and forth and connecting the scenes, so, yeah. This story is going to be a long one. No idea how many chapters, especially if I end up having to break up what I thought were going to be the chapters originally. I hope I'm keeping everyone in character as much as possible. I've been referencing the books and webtoons, so, that helps. Anyways, lots of love everyone. Stay safe, and let me know what you think!


	3. New Addictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here we go! Hot and heavy and oh so adorkable. I love these two together so very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If we ever get an animated version of NEB and the others, I vote Chuck Huber to be the voice of Kovit!! Chuck is a god among men, and his voice is pure liquid pleasure to listen too. From his website, chuckhuber.org : Chuck Huber started acting in Anime in the roles of Garlic Jr. and Android 17 in DBZ. Since then he has voiced hundreds of characters including Hiei in YuYu Hakusho, Stein in Soul Eater, Kululu in Sgt. Frog, Mohji in One Piece, Shou Tucker in Full Metal Alchemist, Han in Blue Gender, Hiro in Shin Chan, Ashe in Black Butler, Reever in D. Gray Man, Hector in Glass Fleet, Yuichi in Initial D., Akai in Oh Edo Rocket, Melt in The Tower of Druaga, Adashino in Mushishi, Eric Nishijima in Darker Than Black, Havel in Trinity Blood, Austria in Hetalia and many more. He has been a writer on Hetalia, Sgt. Frog, Baccano, Spice and Wolf and others. Video games Chuck has contributed voices for include Borderlands II, Ghostbusters, The Walking Dead, Aeon Flux, DBZ and more. 
> 
> Hiei is my top anime husband, and remains Chuck's favorite role. He's also how Chuck realized just how important anime and voice actors were to fans, and learned that the fangirls and boys of the characters will love or hate the actors that voice the characters depending on how well they do bringing them to life. Look up his youtube videos where he talks about his first anime convention where he attended as a guest speaker for an expo for Hiei. The man learned what love was that day! And oh, can he play murderous, brooding, full of pain, sexy bad boys!!! 
> 
> So send Chuck your love, and support. And hopefully, I've given you some audio inspiration for this chapter! I know it's what I've been imagining!

Pain. Searing, blinding, thought erasing pain. How many receptors are in just a centimeter of skin? Each one reacted individually, spreading fire in the wake of reactivation, a rolling tide of heat and stabbing pins that made Nita want to rip her finger off to flee from the sensation. She pressed her face into Kovit’s shoulder to muffle her cry, and felt him tighten his grip on her shoulders as he sucked in a hissing breath. Nita waited several minutes until the crawling feeling faded into tingles, taking several deep breaths, then moved onto her ring finger. Kovit groaned and his belly flexed, his shoulder blades leaving the bed for a moment as her pain slid into him, sating bits of his hunger and leaving pleasure in its wake. Time lost its meaning as one by one, Nita’s fingers rediscovered pain, rediscovered each nerve ending and the connections between them, rapidly sending signals to her brain and down again that they were alive and well. Nita was so lost to the process, she didn’t realize she was weeping until Kovit brought her hand to his lips, kissing and nibbling her fingertips to break her concentration.

“Nita, Nita please, wait. Sweetheart, wait. Please,” Kovit’s voice was hoarse, as if he had been try to get her attention for a while. He was massaging her fingers, and alternating between rubbing her back and running his hand through her hair as he kissed her forehead. Their legs were tangled together, and they had shifted so that Nita was more than halfway laying on top of Kovit. They were both panting hard, and Kovit was shaking with pleasure. “I need to catch my breath Nita. Oh god, sweetheart, you’re so good to me!” He whimpered and pulled her close, wrapping as much of his body around her as he could. Nita peppered his chest with kisses, before looking up at him with adoring eyes.

His color was much better, and while he still had dark circles under his eyes, it was as though he had only missed a night or two of sleep, not weeks. The harsh lines of tension that hunger and pain had etched into his face and body had faded, and while he still trembled, Nita could tell it was from an overload of pleasure, and something deep inside her felt victorious. She caused this. She made him feel this way. And she craved more, so she straddled his lap and kissed him for a moment before pulling back.

“Kovit,” she whispered, cupping his chin in her hand. He blinked up at her, and she smiled softly at the look of awe in his eyes. “You’re so beautiful to me.” Nita’s smile grew as she saw tears come to his eyes, and she turned on the rest of her pain receptors in her palm and the back of her hand. Kovit’s eyes rolled back as the pain hit her, and they both cried out at the same time. Kovit pulled Nita down to his chest and kissed her desperately as he rolled them over, drinking in her pained gasps like a man dying of thirst. Without thinking, Nita wrapped her long legs around his waist and pulled him close, rolling her hips, and Kovit let out a deep groan that reignited the ember in her belly that eclipsed the burning throb in Nita’s hand. She raked the nails of her free hand up his exposed back, making Kovit arch and thrust at her, and Nita threw her head back against the pillows. 

“Oh, please, yes! Kovit, more! Please!” Nita didn’t recognize the husky, desperate begging coming from her throat, but she was riding too high on instinct to care. She couldn’t even focus on the internal processes her body was going through, the flood of hormones and neurotransmitters of LH and dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline flooding her and overwhelming her system, carrying her away on waves of pleasure. Nothing else mattered but Kovit, his scent, his weight on top of her, his skin against hers. His arm was under her hip, lifting her up, keeping her core pressed against his as he thrust at her, giving her the delicious friction she craved, even as their clothes got in the way and dulled the sensation. 

“Nita, oh yes, Nita, I’m right here,” Kovit’s voice panted out in tandem to his steady rocking, his tone worshipful. Nita opened heavy eyes and saw him staring at her with adoration, and felt her already pounding heart leap into her throat. She let out a sobbing whimper, and scrabbled at the hem of her shirt. Nita knew it wasn’t the fabric that choked her, but she wanted to feel more of her skin touching Kovit’s. She shuddered in pleasure as Kovit ran his hand up her back, and they broke off kissing long enough for him to help her remove the tee. Kovit threw the shirt off to the side, and cupped her chin in his hand until she looked at him. “Tell me what you want Nita, please. I need to make you feel good.” He whispered.

“You do. Oh god Kovit, you do!” Nita whimpered and closed her eyes. “Please, touch me! Kiss me!” Kovit caught her lower lip between his teeth and nibbled gently, pulling another lustful moan from her throat before he tipped her head back and slid his hand down the golden column of skin, his lips and teeth following his fingertips and leaving a trail of blazing lovebites that left her breathless and wanton. He kept his touch light, a teasing sense of sensation that ghosted over her shoulders as he used his teeth to nudge and pull one strap of her bra down her arm until she could pull it free before moving to the other, purposely avoiding the obvious areas Nita wanted him to touch. Kovit had slowed his thrusts, though he had not stopped completely, so Nita rolled her hips as she tangled her hands into his hair and tried to urge him towards her breasts. He chuckled darkly and gave her a wicked grin with slitted eyes, resisting the pull on his hair, and Nita felt the tension inside her coil tighter. She was going to lose her mind if she hadn’t already.

“Getting impatient, hmm, love? Don’t you want to…” Here a maniacal gleam came to his eye for a moment and Nita shuddered with arousal, as Kovit locked his gaze with her and lowered his head until he was able to give her a long, slow, erotic lick along the length of her cleavage from the front of her bra to her chest, ending with a painless nip to the swell of her breast. “Savor it?” Nita cried out in pleasure.

Her mind was shattered, Nita was sure of it. Stars erupted behind her eyelids as Nita clutched at Kovit’s shoulders, and bolts of lightning raced up her spine leaving her skin tingling as he finally turned his attention to her overly sensitive peaks. Not even bothering with the clasp, Kovit simply pulled the thin cotton material down, freeing her to his questing mouth and rough hands. Nita’s thrashing became frantic, her desperate cries leaving her throat raw, filling the room with a chorus of begging. 

“Mas, pichurri, por favor, mas! Mas! Augh!” Nita curled upwards as shockwaves of pleasure wracked her body, while Kovit continued his relentless suckling and massaging of her breasts. When her body relaxed enough to lay against the pillows again, she could feel tears streaming from her eyes as she sobbed for breath. She opened bleary eyes and saw Kovit watching her, the passion and hunger in his dark eyes wrapped in a choke chain of control that made her heart ache, and the tension in her belly tighten more. Nita fisted her hand in Kovit’s hair, trying to urge him upwards for a kiss, and Kovit came reluctantly, dragging his teeth across her nipple in a gentle bite before releasing her breast completely. Nita gasped in pleasure, and Kovit kissed her deeply, his tongue caressing hers as his body settled over her again, and they both groaned as their hips found the rocking rhythm they craved. Nita kept one hand tangled in Kovit’s hair, keeping him in place so she could kiss him as much as she pleased, while her other hand found the wrist of his hand that had settled on her hip and brought it back to the breast he hadn’t bitten. With that bit of encouragement, Kovit eagerly began to squeeze and massage it again, and Nita broke their kiss with a cry.

“Oh god Nita, so beautiful,” Kovit groaned into her ear, and Nita was too lost in the sensation to do more than pant in response. Her hand slipped from Kovit’s wrist, tracing the muscles of his arm, his chest, her fingertips pulsing with the pounding of his heart, tingling as his abs twitched and flexed back and forth, her name falling from his lips over and over like a prayer as her hand slid lower. The clasp of Kovit’s jeans frustrated Nita’s journey for a moment, until Kovit lifted his hips slightly and undid it for her, but he quickly returned his attention to kissing her and rolling her breast in his hand, keeping her moaning and panting in need. With his jeans undone, Nita was able to easily slip her hand into his boxers to grip his length, and she began to stroke him gently. Kovit thrust into her hand and threw his head back with a cry. “Fuck!! Nita! OH YES!” the pace of his hips stuttered, and Kovit had to brace himself with both hands on the bed as he tried to adjust to Nita’s grip. His head dropped back down, and Nita saw Kovit’s eyes closed in concentration while his mouth hung open as he panted harshly. She tightened her grip just slightly, and his eyes popped open, his expression needy and terribly vulnerable in a way that made her heart jump. “Fuck! I’m not gonna last, Nita! Fuck, not like this, oh, god, I want to make you cum! Nita, sweetheart, please, let me touch you, oh god, I’m so close!” 

“Si, mi amado, si!” Nita unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them as far down her hips as she could manage, Kovit kissing her deeply the whole while. He slid his fingers between her thighs, lightly brushing her slick folds, and Nita bit his lip as a needy whine fled her throat. Then he was parting her, filling her wet heat, and everything else ceased to exist but his touch. Kovit’s mouth on her throat, sucking and nipping at her pulse; his finger’s pumping and stroking her core, filling her in a way she had never felt before as the coil of tension in her belly wound ever tighter; his hard velvety length thrusting into her palm as she squeezed and rubbed, urging him to completion. Nita pressed herself as close as possible to Kovit, not caring about the pinching of her breasts against his chest, just needing to feel him as her free hand left scratches up and down his bare back. 

“Sweetheart, I’m cumming! Nita, Nitaaa!!” Kovit cried out and latched onto Nita’s shoulder with a grunt, liquid heat spilling into her hand. His teeth grazed a bundle of nerves, more pressure than bite, but it sent Nita careening over the edge as the tension snapped like an overdrawn bow, and Nita let loose a primal scream as she succumbed to pleasure and her vision went black.

  
  


Nita floated, her mind feeling drugged but at the same time weightless. Pleasure flooded her body as she struggled to make sense of the world again, and when she cracked open her eyes, Kovit’s worried face swam in and out of focus. His lips were moving, but whatever he was saying was lost to the ringing in her ears and her pounding heart. Nita smiled and pressed a kiss to his chin before her strength gave out and she flopped back onto the pillows with a contented sigh. Kovit raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but ok…” He brushed Nita’s hair from her face gently with his free hand, and Nita turned her head to follow it.

“Hmm? What?” she asked drowsily, and blinked up at him, her eyes crossing slightly. 

“I was asking if you were ok?” Kovit looked at her shoulder with guilt “I..well, I bit you...and you screamed, and kinda blacked out there for a few...and I got worried…” Kovit glanced back up at her face as Nita let out a husky giggle and snuggled into his hand.

“You did bite me. And ok isn’t the word for it. I don’t think I’m even on the same planet as ok.” 

“You don’t sound mad…” Nita gave him a playful glare as Kovit side eyed her with uncertainty.

“Why would I be mad?! It felt amazing!” Kovit grinned wickedly at her, and Nita couldn’t help the blush that spread from her face down her neck. “What? It did!”

“I think that that confirms it, Nita. You are naughty.” Nita’s blush deepened, and Kovit leaned in and whispered in her ear. “Which explains why you’re still wrapped around me, and why I can’t move except for this.” Kovit pumped his trapped fingers into her core gently, and Nita lost what breath she had in her lungs. He kept his movements slow as he nibbled on her ear, and his voice was deep and husky again as he spoke, making Nita shudder. “Did I make you cum Nita? All I want is to make you feel good.” 

“Oh, god, yes, Kovit, yes!” Nita pulled her hand free of Kovit’s jeans, meaning to hold him closer, but stopped and stared in awe at the quantity of creamy seed covering her palm. “Oh my...sticky....” Kovit glanced over and blushed when he saw what Nita was staring at. He dropped his head and hid his face in her throat as embarrassment flooded over his features.

“Yeah...that happens when you jerk a guy off love. If you let me up, I’ll get you a washcloth…” he muttered, doing his best not to whine. Kovit felt Nita shift, but instead of releasing him, she simply wrapped her legs tighter around him, rolling her hips up into his hand, and continued to run her other hand through his hair. Taking a deep breath, Kovit raised his head and was about to speak again when the sight before him fully registered, and his brain short circuited. Nita was...she was.... “Oh god…” Kovit moaned worshipfully.

Nita paused in the middle of licking her hand clean to give Kovit a sultry smile, even though she could still feel the heat of her blush. Something about the way Kovit was looking at her, like she was his entire world, made her feel shy and bold at the same time, and she didn’t want that feeling to end. He had already given her 2 amazing orgasms, better than anything she had done for herself, but seemed so afraid that he wasn’t good enough, and Nita wanted to sooth his insecurities, despite her own. It didn’t hurt that Kovit had her riding the edge of another regardless of how soon it was after the last one. So Nita gave her hand one last long lick, and enjoyed how enthralled Kovit was as she sucked on a finger, before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and rolling her hips again.

“Mmmmm. You’re busy.” She cooed at him, baring her throat as she looked at him through lowered lashes.

“Busy..?” Kovit responded in a daze, even as he started moving his fingers again, and Nita moaned happily.

“Oh yes, very busy. You’re gonna make me cum again love. Ohhh, there, right there, Kovit, please!!” Nita’s hip rose to meet his thrusting and flexing fingers, and she felt the last of the tension in her twist up and shatter, leaving behind surging tidal waves of sensation that left her a shuddering screaming mess. “Kovit!!”

“Fuck yes, Nita, cum for me. Scream for me.” Kovit worked his hand furiously as Nita shuddered and clutched around him, his face pressed to her throat as he nipped at her pulse to make her scream loudly. Nita’s cries were cut off as she spasmed and bit down on Kovit’s shoulder, her fingernails digging deeply into his back and dragging up as her moans filled his ears. “Oh fuck yes, Nita! Yes!” Kovit groaned deeply with pleasure, holding her tightly to him as she rode out her latest high. When Nita finally collapsed, she was shaking and weeping, her tears leaving salty trails down her cheeks into her hair. Kovit gently kissed some of the tears away, and without thinking tried to flex his wrist since it was starting to cramp. Nita’s entire body jerked as if she had been touched with a live wire.

“AH!” she cried out, grabbing his wrist to hold him still as she shuddered and panted “Kovit, I can’t! Too much, too sensiti...ah!” Nita’s whimper was harsh and dissenting when Kovit pulled his hand away from her core, and he pulled Nita with him so she was settled on his chest when he rolled over, and he ran his hand up her back. Nita felt the tremors traveling through her body as she listened to Kovit’s heart race while she was trying to catch her breath, and she watched with hazy fascination as Kovit brought his sticky fingers to his lips and started to lick them. Nita let out a soft moan and wrapped a leg around his, weakly trying to wriggle close enough to kiss his chin. “That’s not fair Kovit.” she whispered, and he glanced at her with a wicked look in his dark eyes. “You’re making me want more, and I’m completely wiped out. I don’t even think I can stand up at this point.” Kovit pulled his fingers out of his mouth with a popping sound and grinned at her, and Nita bit her lip as he cupped her face with his hand.

“Tasty, naughty, Nita.” He whispered, and pulled her close for a deep kiss that had both of them moaning. Nita gently dragged her nails across Kovit’s chest, enjoying feeling his shudder under her touch, but as she started to go lower, he stopped her, twining his fingers through hers and breaking their kiss to bring her fingers to his lips for gentle nibbles. Nita looked at him with wonder, and when Kovit opened his eyes to look at her, his smile was soft and filled with such lightness that she felt herself melt. He trailed his other hand up her mostly bare back, the calluses on his fingers creating friction against the smoothness of her skin in such a way that it made her shiver until his hand found it’s way into her hair to cup her head gently. Nita leaned back, her breath coming quicker as she bared her throat for Kovit again, and her eyes closed partway. “You’re so beautiful Nita.” She felt his thumb tracing her chin and sighed, warmth filling her heart and making her whimper. “Sorry,” Nita opened her eyes at Kovit’s chuckle, and saw he had a crooked grin on his face, even though his eyes were still filled with adoration as he stared at her. He kissed her hand again “I don’t mean to rile you back up, I really don’t. I’m as wiped out as you are sweetheart. I just don't know how else to show you how much you mean to me, how much I want you to stay close to me except to touch you Nita. To hold you. Tell me if I do something wrong.” Nita felt tears sting her eyes.

“You’re perfect  cariño .” Nita cooed, brushing a bit of stray hair from Kovit’s eyes, smiling at him sweetly. It was soft and silky, a testament to the pain he had eaten from her, and his skin glowed with health. The last of the worry in the back of Nita’s mind quieted away, and contentment spread through her as the knowledge that she had taken care of his needs in every way possible filled her soul like a balm. “It was the same way I felt when we first met back up here in Toronto. So full of the need to be close to you, only more so now.” Nita’s smile turned saucy “Though it seems like a bit of a raw deal if you’re as wiped out as I am from just once Kovit. You gave me three, after all. Doesn’t seem fair.” Kovit chuckled as he settled back on the pillows with a contented sigh, his hands running up and down her back.

“You are absolutely amazing Nita, better than anything I could have ever hoped or dreamed of. I’m completely convinced that guys who boast about being able to go rounds back to back are either lying out their asses or on some kind of drug.” Kovit was quiet for a few moments as they basked in the feel of each other’s arms, but then his eyebrows furrowed and he looked at her with confusion “Wait a minute...three?” Nita blushed and hid her face in his chest for a moment before responding.

“You had me very worked up with your kisses, and you were teasing me when you licked my cleavage, and then you finally started paying proper attention to my chest, so….yes, three.” Nita blushed hotly as Kovit hummed and tightened his hold around her waist, burying his face in her hair and chuckling. His laughter had a dark, self satisfied quality that made her shiver, and Nita jabbed him in the chest. “No need to get a big head about it” His laughter turned light and airy.

“Oh, there is every reason to let it go to my ego Nita! Every reason!” Kovit peppered her hair with little kisses and held her tightly, his voice full of happiness as Nita snuggled into his shoulder, her face on fire. “You have no idea how worried I was that I couldn’t last long enough. That I couldn’t make you feel good. I have no idea what I’m doing, after all.” Nita looked up and jabbed him in the chest again, making him wince.

“Neither do I Kovit. It’s not like either of us have ever done any of this before. Besides, not only did you get me off at the same time as you, or just about, you kept going afterwards, to make sure. And did it again. Unlike some horror stories of guys being done and then kicking the girls out of their rooms regardless of their feelings. You’re wonderful.” Kovit cupped her chin in his hands again.

“I know that Nita, it’s just,” He sighed and his head drooped back, his eyes darting back and forth as if he was searching for his answer in the ceiling.

“It’s just what Kovit?” Nita asked softly, stroking his neck with her fingertips. Kovit closed his eyes and the corner of his mouth quirked up slightly.

“It’s a guy thing. I know it’s not just a me thing, cause some of the guys in the group chat use to talk about it. Wanting to satisfy our girl  _ before  _ we find our satisfaction. Just never thought it would really apply to me,” Kovit ran his hands up and down her back as he talked softly, and Nita laid her head back down on his shoulder as she let him find his words. “They used to talk about what they were interested in when it came to girls, what kind of acts they wanted to try, whatever. At first it was just the stupid, crude, idiotic bullshit of teenage fanasty, but one day, one of the girls found out. Not May, it was Anna.” Kovit took a deep breath and looked at Nita, who was watching him quietly, just listening. He brushed her hair back from her face and she smiled gently. 

“Bet that went over well.” Nita replied, no judgement in her voice. Kovit grinned.

“Oh God, she was pissed. Anna wouldn’t hurt a fly on a normal day, but let me tell you, all of us had new ass holes by the time she was done with us. Even me.” Nita giggled and kissed Kovit’s thumb.

“Well, she does wipe the floor with you whenever you get in the PVP arena with her, so I’m not surprised. It’s us quiet ones you have to be careful of, mi amado.” While most of the people Kovit had known in his friend group had turned away from him after the fiasco of his information being posted on the DUL, a few had defended him to the rest and kept in contact, including Anna. They were all growing up and living their lives, so the times they were able to get together were limited to a new online server, but Nita knew how much comfort it brought him to not have lost everything when May, who was actually Gold, the daughter of the Mafia Family that had taken in Kovit when he was ten, betrayed him to the Family, INHUP, and their friends.

“Yeah, even at 13/14, Anna knew her mind pretty well. So she called us out on our bullshit, gave us some perspective. Told us girls weren’t toys to be played with and discarded, that their feelings and desires needed to be considered too. That it was supposed to be mutual.” He left out a huff of breath, and scratched the back of his head. “Then she told me specifically that even if my participation had just been a silent, noncommittal observation that let the conversation happen, it was still participation that didn’t help the situation any. If we would be upset about other guys saying such things about the girls in the chat because we knew them, then we shouldn’t be hypocrites and say such things about other girls just because they’re bodies with no names or faces to us.” Nita bit her lip and winced.

“Ouch.” Kovit nodded, his eyes distant.

“Yeah, that hit a bit closer to home than I liked, if I’m honest. I hurt people, but only if I don’t know them, because then….” He trailed off, eyes back on the ceiling, and Nita rubbed his chest.

“Because then they aren’t real.” Nita finished softly, her fingers tracing the pattern of Kovit’s muscles under his skin. Nita wasn’t upset by this revelation of Kovit’s inner processing, since she had already understood it long before with Mirella in Argentina. But hearing Kovit admit it outloud was new, a shiny treasure of trust gifted to her. “The way women in some other men’s fantasies aren’t real. What happened after that?” Another deep breath lifted the chest under her.

“We started growing up. The tone changed, we stopped the stupid boasting. We actually started talking about important things like feelings. There was a guy that didn’t like the changes, and we told him to get lost. After that, the girls started to talk to us openly. Turns out he was making them feel weird, and since the rest of us were being immature asses, they were just putting up with it, not thinking we would care. Even though our interests were changing, our friendship was getting stronger, and we all felt safe talking together even when it was about difficult shit.” Kovit let out a laugh, and Nita looked a question at him. “Sorry, it’s just so ironic. I never had any big interest in sex then, but for some reason I was the go to person for everyone to vent to. They all seemed to agree that I had the most level head about those kinds of situations.” Nita giggled, and snuggled into his hand. Kovit’s eyes turned soft. “But now I have you, Nita, and I find myself asking the same questions and having the same worries that my friends had, only more so. You are; without a doubt; the most amazingly wonderful, terrifyingly stubborn, intelligent, intimidating, gorgeous force of nature I have ever met, and I’m scared shitless that I’m going to fuck things up!” Nita felt her throat close with all the emotions swirling inside, and blinked back tears.

“Kovit,  cariño , I’m not perfect…”

“I know that sweetheart, I do. We’re both broken. But you’re perfect for  _ me _ . And you deserve the best, and I don’t know if I can deliver that.” 

“Kovit, you are the best for me. You’re all that I could want and more.” Nita went to kiss him, before letting out a pained squeak and hiding her face in his chest. Kovit froze completely, his hands in the air, not knowing what happened.

“Nita?” he asked. She just shook her head, and he felt her body start to shake, which scared him more. His voice filled with panic. “Nita, what’s wrong?”

“It’s my b….” Nita trailed off in a mumble, and fidgeted, wiggling her arms. Kovit glanced down, and noticed the part in Nita’s hair was turning red.

“What?” 

“My bra strap pinched me!” Nita’s face was mortified when she looked up at him, but her voice was full of giggles. “It’s stuck and I can’t get it undone!” She face-planted into his chest again as Kovit began to chuckle, his arms falling to his side. Nita continued to wiggle for a few minutes before letting out a frustrated groan.

“Do you need me to move?” Kovit asked, trying to stifle his laughter. Nita held him tightly.

“No.” she whined, and let out a huff. “But if you could unhook it in the back, that would help. May as well take it off, it’s getting itchy.” Kovit felt his brain fritz out and he froze again as his face flushed. 

“Uhhh….what?” Was all he could think to say, and Nita peeked up at him from under her lashes as she felt his heart start to race. She giggled as his blush spread with his pulse.

“I’m basically not wearing it anyways. If all it's going to do is pinch me, may as well take it off.” Nita propped her chin in her hand and grinned as Kovit still didn’t move, his eyes huge as he kept them locked on her face. “Don’t tell me after everything else tonight, suddenly you’ve turned shy?” Nita’s grin grew bigger, and she drew her hand from her chin down her throat towards her chest, mimicking Kovit’s movements from earlier. His eyes followed for a moment, before he suddenly closed them and swallowed thickly, and he shifted his hips.

“That was different, that was in the heat of the moment…” There was heat in his voice again, and his hands on her hips were shaking. Nita put a pout in her voice and on her smile before she answered.

“Do you  _ not _ want to help me out of my bra, Kovit?” His eyes popped open and he let out a whimper when he saw the look on her face. “ _ Please _ ?”

“It’s not fair for you to tease like that Nita! You do realize we’ve gone about this backwards right?” Kovit panted and shifted his hips again, and Nita did feel a little bad “You’re gonna give me a fucking heart attack.” Kovit leaned up and kissed her deeply, making Nita moan. She couldn’t help it. But she did shift until she could wrap her arms around his neck and run her hands through his hair. When they parted, Nita gave him a sweet smile.

“I don’t expect anything else Kovit.” She told him, letting the silky strands play through her fingers. “But like I said, I’m practically not wearing it anyways, it’s itchy, and you can reach the clasp easier. Unless you want me to sit up and give you a full show. Though you might accuse me of trying to tease you again if I do that.” Kovit gaped like a fish out of water, and Nita raised an eyebrow at him. “Didn’t think of that, now did you?” He simply shook his head, then cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.

“You are so much more than I could have ever imagined, Nita. More than I could have ever dreamed.” Kovit whispered softly when they parted, their foreheads pressed together, and he slid his hands over her shoulders, and down her back. Nita shivered at his warmth, and waited patiently as he struggled with the hooks for a moment before she felt the garment release around her. She lifted herself up slightly, and tugged the bra out from between them before tossing it aside into the shadows of the room, then pressed herself back onto Kovit’s chest and snuggled into his throat. Nita sighed with contentment as he began to run both hands up and down her bare back, and Kovit dropped a kiss on her shoulder. “You’re so beautiful Nita.” 

She glanced up and saw Kovit staring over her shoulder, down the length of her back. At first she thought he was staring at her butt and she smirked, but after watching his eyes sweep back and forth, she realized that he was watching his hands as they wandered over her bare skin. And the look in his eyes was nothing like the look in the eyes of the guy that tried to hit on her at school. Kovit’s look had desire, yes, but it was soft, full of wonder and awe that made Nita feel precious and treasured. Nita felt her heart swelling with warmth, and blinked back sudden tears. 

“I didn’t know a bare back could be so fascinating, Kovit.” she whispered softly, not wanting to ruin the mood, but needing to know what he was thinking. Kovit blinked at her owlishly, and grinned, then hugged her tightly for several moments. When he relaxed again, his hands continued their petting, and Kovit was smiling at her.

“Enjoying being close to you. Lost in the moment I guess. You’re full of so much strength, so much steel Nita. It’s a privilege to get to hold you, feel how soft you can be. To know that you want to be close to me like this too.” Nita giggled softly, running her hands across Kovit’s chest and snuggling into his shoulder.

“So you like my back because it’s soft?” She asked, and Kovit’s smile turned playful.

“I like it because it’s not obvious, Nita. Your front could be covered by anything, clothes, a sheet, whatever. But if your back is bare, it’s like getting a peek at a present I’m not supposed to see yet. It builds anticipation. Like that time you wore a skirt for your presentation at school and I got to peek at your legs. But yes, also because you are very soft. And curvy. And I get to touch you now.” Nita raised an amused eyebrow, and Kovit backtracked. “I mean, I do get to touch you more often now, right?” His tone was playful, but there was a note of sincere worry underneath it. Nita put a finger to her chin and pretended to think about it for a moment.

“Hmm...have you gained enough experience points to level up to boyfriend tier? Hmmm?” Kovit hugged her tightly again, and began to nibble on her bare shoulder, making Nita laugh. “That tickles, Kovit! Yes, I would say you’ve earned the title of boyfriend quite well. Now the question is if I’ve really earned the title of girlfriend..mhhm” Nita moaned as Kovit kissed her roughly, pulling her close and holding her tightly. His movements were frantic, as though he was trying to touch all of her at once and keep her as close as humanly possible. Nita was breathless when he pulled back, dropping gentle kisses all over her face.

“Girlfriend. Definitely girlfriend.”Kovit said firmly, and Nita blushed, happiness at his surety filling her up. She caught his lips in another kiss and then laid her head on his chest again, letting out a happy sigh as Kovit resumed rubbing her back. 

“So we’ve unlocked boyfriend and girlfriend level. What perks and achievements come with that? And which ones are still locked?” Nita felt her cheeks heat up more, and while it felt a little silly to talk about boundaries this way, it also felt very much like them, considering all the games they had collected together. Nita heard the hitch in Kovit’s breath as he thought about her question, and he cleared his throat before speaking. 

“Well,” His voice was unsteady, but Kovit’s hands remained soft on her back, “It seems we’ve breezed past first and second base, and unlocked all the way up to Third Base. If it isn’t too fast for you, I’d like to keep that achievement.” Nita snuggled into Kovit’s chest and hummed her agreement.

“Mmmhm. Yes please. I’m not sure I’m ready for the home run yet, but I am definitely happy with third base. And with you being shirtless. Team skin all the way!” Nita kissed Kovit’s chest, and he let out a shuddering chuckle as he squeezed her shoulders.

“Yeah, I’m really not ready for a home run yet either. So that one’s locked for now. And I guess we can get the Ogling Free-Pass Perk. Now whether we ogle because of the Fancy Clothes or the No Clothes subperks entirely depends on the situation at hand, and how comfortable you are with nudity in said situation.” Nita laughed and leaned up on her elbows a bit, seeing that Kovit was grinning.

“Kovit, it’s not just about  _ my  _ comfort. It’s about  _ our  _ comfort, together. Your consent matters in this just as much as in anything else. Just like when we made rules about killing and torturing others to not break us, to talk to each other.” Kovit looked at her with confusion.

“I know that Nita. Why would you think I wasn’t comfortable?” Nita rolled her eyes.

“Because you make it sound like I have the only, ultimate, veto power. And because you didn’t seem exactly comfortable with the idea of me sitting up and showing off earlier.” Kovit grinned again, and let his eyes trail down for a few minutes before looking Nita in the eyes again

“That was more managing expectations, and insecurity. Like I said, somehow, we always manage to do things backwards it seems like. And I didn’t want you to worry that the only thing I cared about was getting to peek at your tits Nita.” Nita smiled coyly at him, and moved until she straddled his hips and kissed Kovit gently. He was still grinning when she began to pull back, but his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open in awe when she continued and sat all the way up with a sly smirk, grabbing his wrists and making him rub her thighs, not even attempting to cover herself from his gaze, regardless of her blush.

“Well then, you have nothing to worry about. I think I could get used to enjoying you peeking. That look on your face is very satisfying. And you forgot a perk Kovit. It’s called Touch the Butt.” Kovit’s eyes went wider as Nita moved his hands to cup her rear, and she leaned forward to give him better access and a better view. Her smile was wicked. “My back’s not the only soft curvy part of me.” Kovit gave her an excited smile as he squeezed.

“Indeed.” was all he responded with, before sitting up quickly and attacking Nita’s throat and chest with love bites and kisses. Nita gasped in pleasure, and her eyes rolled back as her heart began to race. 

“Oh, please, Kovit…” Nita’s low moan rose into a terrified shriek as her phone rang once, indicating that she had received a text message. They both jumped at the noise, and Kovit grabbed Nita, rolling them so that he was shielding her body from the door. They both looked around frantically for danger, their hearts racing in fear instead of arousal now. When Nita saw that her phone screen was lit up, the fight fled her body, and her head hit the pillow with a frustrated groan. “Who in the hell is texting me?” She muttered. Kovit glanced over before giving a weak chuckle and settling himself down to rest his head on her chest.

“Bet I can guess.” he said, and Nita peered down at him with a raised eyebrow. Kovit gave her a smug smirk, and Nita could feel him suppressing laughter. 

“Why do I have a bad feeling about that?” she asked, concern warring with frustration on her features.

“Because you forgot about something you were supposed to do today after supper. Plus this isn’t the first text you got. We haven’t exactly been quiet, Nita.” Kovit’s eyes were dancing, and Nita felt her heart start to race as her mind slowly switched gears. There was something she was supposed to do tonight….Fuck. Her eyes went wide, and Kovit started to laugh for real.

“Oh….my….GOD!!! DIANA AND ADAIR!! THEY WERE GOING TO SHOW ME THE NETWORK TONIGHT!!!!” Nita cried out in mortification at having forgotten. The Network was an offshoot of the Darkweb, more of a databank than a browser, used to house information and as a backdoor into programs and websites. It was how Diana did most of her hacking, and was very hard to trace movement on. Nita covered her face with her hands, and groaned. Then she peeked out at Kovit, who was still laughing, though he was contently snuggled on her. “And why would it matter if we were quiet or not? The apartment is soundproof?” Kovit grinned wickedly.

“No, the building is soundproof. To the outside. But between the apartment and the shop?” Kovit shook his head, and Nita felt her heart drop into her stomach. “Not so much sweetheart.” Nita whimpered.

“So, anyone downstairs…” Kovit nodded.

“Like Adair. And those customers that had you so stressed out.” Nita whimpered and covered her face again.

“Noooo!!!” She whispered softly. Kovit kissed her hands with a light chuckle.

“Sweetheart, it’s fine.” Nita glared at him hotly, her face on fire with her blush. Kovit seemed completely unaffected, and Nita couldn’t stand it.

“How can it not bother you that they heard us?” She asked, and Kovit smiled softly at her.

“Because at most, all Adair is going to do is tease. And I can tease him back about being jealous. That’s what guys do. If he gets on your nerves, threaten to throw boiling water on him again.” Nita giggled at that, and bit her lip.

“And the women?” Kovit’s smile turned dark and sensual, and Nita felt her belly clench as he shifted so that he was poised above her, his dark hair falling down over his eyes and his face just barely about hers. Nita felt like she was drowning in his dark eyes again as the breath whooshed out of her lungs.

“So what? You were the one that made me cum Nita. Your name will be the only one I will ever call out. You’ll be the  _ only  _ one to make me feel like this, ever. And not your pain, either. Just you, Nita. Your touch, your scent, your kiss, your taste, that’s all I will ever crave.” Nita couldn’t draw in any air as she saw the truth of Kovit’s words in his eyes, heard it in his voice, and she felt like her heart was going to explode in her chest, felt tears pooling in the corners of her eyes.

“Kovit,” She whispered in desperation, and his grin didn’t falter as he stroked her cheek with a finger.

“So what does it matter if they hear how much we please each other? What better way to show them that they don’t stand a chance? I doubt the ones here today will be back. And the ones that come tomorrow or the day after?” Kovit waggled his eyebrows at her and trailed his finger from her chin down her throat, towards her chest again. Nita let out another needy whimper that had Kovit looking back up at her instead of where his finger was going. He looked so devilish that Nita couldn’t help wrapping her arms and legs around him again, scratching at his back. Kovit hissed with pleasure and his eyes closed to barely open slits. “Mmhmm. Fuck, Nita. I will happily demonstrate that I’m yours anytime you like!” he panted, and then started to kiss and bite her neck. Nita gasped as the sensations flowed over her.

“Oh god, Kovit, yes! Oh, please! Let me touch you again!” The arm Kovit was using to hold himself up trembled, and he slipped to his side, pulling Nita with him, before tangling his legs with hers. 

“Please, Nita, oh yes, please.” He groaned into her ear, nipping at the shell. Nita shuddered and her hand slipped between them, her other arm wrapping around him, pulling him close. She felt like there wasn’t enough contact, no matter how hard she pressed against him, Nita couldn’t get close enough. Kovit wasn't quite as firm as the first time Nita touched him, but that soon changed as she continued to stroke him up and down.

They shifted so Kovit could press his knee to Nita's core, and she moaned happily as she rocked against him, getting the contact she wanted as Kovit kissed her and played with her breasts. The room filled with the sounds of their passion again as their lips met and parted, as their hands and mouths explored the other’s body and brought pleasure and excitement and satisfaction. And when they were finally spent, they lay tangled and trembling together, exhausted and content. Nita lay with her arms wrapped around Kovit’s chest, his strong heartbeat lulling her into a half-doze as she absentmindedly gazed into the shadows of the room. The moment felt perfect. Absolutely perfect. Nita wanted it to last forever, and for a few seconds, she thought it was going too. Until her stomach decided to remind her that it was empty. By growling loudly.  _ Very  _ loudly. Kovit began to laugh when he heard it.

“You promised me pasta.” Nita chuckled weakly, hiding her face in his shoulder as his laughter started to shake the bed.

“We got a bit distracted Nita.” he replied, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and Nita tightened her arms around his chest. 

“Yeah, well. There’s plenty of blame to go around there. And I still want my pasta.” Kovit grinned and hugged her back.

“I could go for a snack before bed. Let me get cleaned up and I’ll warm up the leftovers.” Nita looked up and gave Kovit a wicked grin.

“Aww, and here I was, thinking  _ I  _ was your snack Kovit.” She joked with a giggle. But her giggle died quickly when she felt Kovit tense and pull back from her. He turned and swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and away from her. Nita sat up and reached for him, frowning when she saw Kovit flinch. “Kovit?”

  
  


Kovit took a deep breath before looking back at her, and Nita felt her heart drop at the look of self recrimination in his eyes. She shifted until she was sitting as close as she could next to him. “Kovit, what’s wrong?” she asked softly. He sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“You’re not a food source Nita.” Kovit’s voice was soft, but strained. Nita’s eyes felt like they were going to pop right out of her head. “I love you for wanting to help me, but I can’t keep crossing that line…” Nita grabbed Kovit’s arm and pulled his hand away from his face, making him look at her as she shook her head.

“Oh my god, no Kovit! I was making a joke! Like saying you’re thirsty and then saying the person you’re attracted to is a tall glass of water!” Kovit was looking at her warily, and Nita sighed, then moved and sat in Kovit’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, her face and voice going soft. “ Cariño , it was like your onesie joke from earlier.” Kovit’s look turned sheepish. “I just meant that you think I’m sexy. Obviously it came out wrong. I’m sorry.” Kovit looked to the side, pensive, but wrapped his arms around Nita’s waist. They were quiet for some time, Nita giving Kovit the time he needed to work through his thoughts. Kovit’s voice was also soft when he finally spoke.

“You  _ are  _ sexy Nita. But you’re so much more than that too. You’re amazing. You were strong enough and determined enough to get us out of the Death Market. You used INHUP to get out of South America. Hell, Nita, you brought down INHUP when they went after ME! You are scary smart, you’ve literally and figuratively saved my ass countless times. I feel shitty enough that you are paying for everything for us to live on, that I’m leeching off of you and using you as a meal-ticket, let alone as my  _ literal  _ meal.” Nita sighed.

“Kovit, we aren’t playing tit-for-tat here.” Kovit glanced down and back up swiftly as Nita was still shirtless, and she let out a laugh. “But if we were, I’m pretty sure there would be just as many marks in the tat column as there would be in the tit column. You have saved my ass just as many times as I have saved yours, and you save my sanity every day Kovit. And as far as the money goes, if you’re a leech, so am I.” Kovit gave her a confused look.

“How do you figure that?” He asked, and Nita shrugged, giving him a bemused look in return.

“It’s not mine, not really. I did nothing to earn it personally. Dad was the lawyer and the one in charge of running the sales online. Mom was the one that took the physical risks of the hunt. I have to accept I’m a monster and had a hand in those people’s deaths since I was the one that dissected them, but Dad and Mom could have easily done that as well, they were the ones that taught me. Other than helping to kill people, I’ve never done anything to earn what we are living off of.” Nita’s voice and face were calm, simply listing facts, but Kovit’s face was becoming angry.

“Your worthless  _ bitch  _ of a mother abused you!” he hissed, his arms tightening protectively around her, and Nita’s heart warmed. “And your father did nothing to stop her! You’ve more than earned access to her accounts, and it will  _ never  _ make up for the things she did to you, Nita! She abused you, broke your body, tried to break your spirit, controlled you, used you as a pawn…” Nita interrupted Kovit

“And she did the same thing to you Kovit. No.” Nita’s voice firmed, and she pinched his lips together when he went to protest. “She did Kovit. Mom was the one that arranged for Pat to confront you in Buenos Aires, I told you that. Mom was the one that told her about the agent here in Toronto, is the reason your sister pulled a gun on you. But Pat doesn’t know that it was  _ MY  _ fuck up. And I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to make that right for you. And when Pat couldn’t bring herself to hurt you, Mom was the one that shot you. She was the one that almost killed you, almost _took_ you from me. So don’t talk at me about having  _ earned  _ or  _ not earned  _ anything, about being a  _ leech _ . It’s the 21st century Kovit. I’m not some helpless damsel locked away in a tower, waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue me.” Kovit chuckled weakly.

“No, that was me. I was content to wallow in self pity and accept my punishment. Then you came in like a wrecking ball” Kovit stuck out his tongue as Nita groaned at the song lyrics, and she tugged on his hair in retaliation. “I still want to provide for you though Nita.” Nita smiled softly.

“I get it. And you do Kovit. We provide for each other,  cariño. Proof in point, and why tit-for-tat is a bad way to go about things, the score so far is Nita-5, Kovit-2. Now whether that means I’m winning or you’re winning, I’m not quite sure.” Kovit chuckled deeply and laid his head on Nita’s shoulder, and she ran her hands through his hair some more as she sighed happily. Darico was right. Being silly was ok. They could still take things seriously without breaking themselves.

“Pretty sure that means we both win.” Kovit murmured as he dropped kisses onto Nita’s shoulder. Nita kissed his temple, and Kovit sighed. Nita raised an eyebrow and made an inquiring noise. “I just...I worry, Nita. Tonight was...I don’t know how to put it into words.” Kovit pulled back and cupped her face in his hands, and Nita rubbed her cheek into his palm. His eyes were soft as he gazed into hers. “I don’t know if there are words for it. Amazing seems so small and overused, but it’s the closest one I can think of. But also scary.” Nita felt her eyebrows draw together slightly.

“Why?” she asked softly, lightly stroking his cheek. “Did I do something wrong?” Kovit let out a shuddering breath, and closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch.

“No sweetheart, oh god no. You were perfect, beyond perfect. I scare myself Nita.” Kovit opened his eyes again, and pulled her closer. “My hunger scares me. I don’t want to lose myself to it. I’ve seen so many zannies become soulless Nita, who were already soulless when I met them, I don’t want to end up that way. I told you that. That’s why I made my rules. Tonight feels like I came so close to crossing my lines.” Nita nodded.

“You didn’t hurt me Kovit. I trust you completely.” Kovit smiled, and brushed the hair from her face before kissing Nita gently, and pressing his forehead to hers with a sigh.

“I know that Nita. And I don’t know how to tell you how much that means to me. And it has me worried. I’ve  _ never  _ had anyone  _ willingly  _ give me their pain before Nita.” Nita felt like she was drowning again as the look in Kovit’s eyes filled with adoration. “But pain is addictive. Giving it, eating it….receiving it.” Kovit paused, trying to order his thoughts, and Nita thought about what Darico had said about the kink lifestyle. Kovit had a point. After a few moments, Kovit continued. “I don’t want what we have to only be about my needs either, any more than you want it to only be about your comfort or consent. I don’t want what we are building to be tainted.” Nita frowned at that. She really wanted Kovit to stop hating himself for being a zannie.

“I get it. Nita is friend, not food.” She said, and Kovit groaned in frustration.

“Oh my god, Nita, you and your damn Disney movies. I’m being serious here.” he muttered, an edge to his voice. Nita gave him a flat glare.

“I am too, in my own way, Kovit. And for a self proclaimed “Geek” you missed the mark. Finding Nemo is Pixar, not Disney.” Kovit gave her back a flat stare before replying.

“Same difference. Your point?” Nita shook her head.

“Big difference. And my point is, I understand what you are saying, Kovit, and I respect it.” Kovit blinked at her and gaped, and Nita felt her heart break a little bit. “Kovit, when I said that your comfort and consent was just as important as mine, this sort of thing was as much of what I was talking about as sex. Hell, holding hands and kissing in public is a boundary for some people, and in some cultures, could result in the couple getting fines or jail time. I’ve lived all over the world, cariño. I am more than glad that you let me help you this time. I can see how pain can become addictive.” Nita shifted in Kovit’s lap, pulling him closer as she blushed. Kovit tilted his head as he watched her face. “After Henry, my offer to give you pain was sincere, but I was relieved when you refused, both because I don’t like feeling pain, and because I didn’t want it to break us. And it would have then. But tonight?” Nita shrugged and swallowed hard, and Kovit stared, fascinated.

“Tonight?” he asked, and Nita blushed harder. She found she couldn’t meet his eyes, and that her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. Kovit had been honest with her, he deserved her honesty too.

“Tonight was different. It was all tangled up. My jealousy and anger at the women, my worry for you, my  _ desire  _ for you. They were all wrapped up too tightly to separate. And I wasn’t scared of feeling pain, because it would help you.” Nita let out a shaky breath as she realized Kovit was listening to her so completely, and she trembled. “Because  _ I  _ would be helping you, not someone else.  _ I  _ would get to be close to you in a way no one else had ever been, and that excited me, soothed my worries, not just about your health even though those are very real, but also my insecurities. And when you reacted the way you did, when I realized  _ just  _ how good I made you feel, it made me feel good. Like I really was sexy and powerful.” Kovit grinned.

“I think you have a power kink Nita,” he said softly, and Nita rolled her eyes with a huff.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious. So I understand what you are saying about pain becoming addictive. Darico and I have talked about kink a little bit, about how someone from that lifestyle might be able to help us navigate this part of our relationship. That will be in the email too. But it doesn’t  _ have  _ to be a major part of our lives Kovit. I gave you my pain because I don’t want you to get sick,  _ not  _ because I thought you are with me just so I can be your food. Kovit, do you  _ really  _ trust me to not try to trap you with a baby?” Kovit’s eyes went wide, and he tightened his grip on her again.

“Of course, Nita! Of course I trust you!” Nita ran her hands through his hair, her expression soft as she smiled at him.

“Then trust me when I tell you, that I trust you just as much when you tell me you are with me for me, not for my body or for my abilities to feed you. I used to think that love was supposed to be giddiness and daydreams, rose colored glasses where you didn’t see each other's faults and hot makeout sessions or softcore porn all the time.” Kovit glanced down at her chest again and grinned up at her, and Nita laughed. “I meant hot and heavy right away, Kovit, god, you’re an ass!”

“I’m your ass now.” Nita grinned back, happy and bubbly at the thought.

“Yeah you are. And I really like that fact. So maybe I was wrong. Maybe love really is a deep friendship that just keeps getting deeper, accepting each other’s faults and helping each other grow and be happy. I hope so. If it is, I can honestly say I love you with all my heart. I don’t want to have this with anyone else. And we don’t have to rush anything. Like I said, I don’t think I’m quite ready for a home run yet, and our perks and achievements are that, Kovit. Perks. They add to what we have, they aren’t the basis of our relationship. And you being a zannie isn’t a taint on it either.” Nita said seriously, and saw that Kovit had tears come to his eyes. “I love you for you, Kovit. I may not understand all your rules, but I don’t have to to respect them. To respect you. We’ll find you other pain to eat. But just know that if you need me, I’m here for you, in every way. I love you Kovit.” Tears were slipping from his eyes as he pulled her close, and Kovit kissed her deeply. Nita returned his kiss happily for several minutes, until her stomach growled again, ending with a bubbly gurgle that had Kovit pulling away with a watery laugh. 

“I better get cleaned up and feed you before you start in like Diana, and try to take a nibble out of me.” Nita playfully nipped at his shoulder as she slid off of Kovit’s lap onto the pillows, whispering “Pasta, pasta, pasta!” and he yelped in surprise. “I’m not going to bleed marinara sauce Nita!” Kovit stood up, grabbing the waist of his pants and flinching slightly at the feeling of tender parts rubbing and wet spots shifting. Then he sent Nita a naughty grin. “And the white sauce isn’t alfredo, I’m afraid.” Nita snorted with laughter and rolled to her side, covering her face.

“Kovit! You’re horrible!” She wailed, and he bent down and gave her a quick kiss on her hand before heading to the bathroom. He snagged his sweatpants before he got to the door.

“You love it.”

“I do.” Nita looked up, and gasped. Kovit turned and looked at her, an eyebrow raised. Nita had her mouth covered with a hand, and her eyes were wide as she blushed.

“Nita?” he asked, and Nita let out a nervous giggle.

“Your back…” was all she answered with, and Kovit stepped into the bathroom, turning round to peer at his back in the small mirror hanging above the sink. He grinned and shivered with delight at what he saw. Crisscrossing his shoulders and upper back were long red welts, and in several places, there were deep crescent shaped indents where Nita had dug her nails into his skin. Kovit felt and saw his grin go wide as his pride swelled. Nita had  _ marked  _ him. He vaguely remembered her scratching him, definitely remembered it feeling good, didn’t recall at all when she had made him bleed, but, sure as shit, there were a few places that had scabs starting. And  _ HE  _ was the one that caused her to react this way? Hmmm. ~ _ Maybe Nita isn’t the only one with a bit of a power kink. _ ~ Kovit thought to himself as he stuck his head back out the bathroom door to see Nita on her phone, still blushing furiously. She looked up at him, red as a tomato, and Kovit felt his grin stretch a little further.

“No worries sweetheart, it’s only a bit of tit-for-tat. I gave you a hickey, afterall!” Nita clapped a hand to the shoulder that Kovit had bit, yelping in embarrassment, and Kovit cackled as he closed the door and started his shower. Nita giggled madly as she held her phone to her chest, dreading to see how bad the teasing was going to be, but knowing that putting it off was only going to make it worse. Finally, she took a deep breath and unlocked her phone. 20 group chat and 39 individual messages blinked up at her. Nita groaned and opened her apps, looking at the group chat first.

Adair:

Nita, are you alright? You stormed off really fast…

Kovit:

R U OK?!?!?!?!

Adair:

Nita, please answer us, you’re driving Kovit up the wall.

Diana:

guys? what’s going on?

Kovit:

Nitas mad and not talking to us

Diana:

what?

Adair:

There were some pests in the shop, and something happened to upset Nita. She stormed off and now isn’t answering her phone. Kovit tried calling her, but he got a busy signal.

Nita looked at her notifications, and yup, several missed calls in a row from Kovit, all during the time she was talking with Darico. Nita let out a small, pained giggle. She went back to the group message.

Diana:

have either of you tried going upstairs and talking with her in person?

Kovit:

(Scared emoji face)

Adair:

Are you really advising us to go into the lion’s den and...poke it?

Diana:

(Eye rolling emoji)

FFS

kovit, go upstairs and talk with her.

adair, just

just don’t.

Kovit:

di she looked really really mad

Diana:

all the more reason to check on her kovit. GO.

There were several minutes between that post and Kovit’s next one, which was just letting the two others know that Nita was talking with her therapist, and their response that that was good and to keep them posted. And that was the end of the group chat messages. Nita hung her head, and groaned. The individual texts were after the group chat. And entirely from Adair. They seemed to start about the time her and Kovit were talking about the women in the shop vying for his attention.

Adair:

So I’m guessing you didn’t know that we can hear you downstairs. Because the vultures can hear you fighting, and they are getting excited.

I’m going to take a stab in the dark here and guess we aren’t going to be working on the Network tonight. I’ll let Diana know.

Please don’t cry! I hate it when people cry!

Seriously? How do you women stand each other?! If these creatures don’t back up, I’m taking them to the basement to drown them!!

(Gif of wide eyed cat with it’s paw over its mouth)

Um, Nita. 

That doesn’t sound like fighting.

A few minutes in between the next message showed in the timestamp.

Adair:

(Gif of a cat wiggling its rear, readying itself to pounce)

The vultures have noticed something amiss!

Oh ho ho! Feathers are becoming ruffled! 

(Gif of chickens strutting around with puffed up feathers)

AND THE FIRST ONE FLEES!!!! Nita, what ARE you doing to make Kovit beg like that?

And there goes the second one. Damn. Get this good with your black market rivals and you will rule it.

Nita had to pause in her reading because she was blushing so badly. If she had scared off two rivals just by feeding Kovit her pain, oh good god. They really wouldn’t have been cut out to handle him for himself. And Adair’s commentary. It made her burn with embarrassment, but at the same time, showed them support. Nita wanted to beat him up, and hug him at the same time. Stupid kelpie.

Indeed, you don’t realize that it’s the building that is soundproof, not the apartment itself. Don’t exactly need electronic bugs in the room when you’re screaming Nita.

(Picture of a cat poking its head out of a hole in a ceiling)

Oh my, I think that was one.

(Gif of Deadpool clapping his hands to his face.)

Yeah, we definitely are not getting any work done tonight. I’m not getting any work done now.

I wonder when these other two are going to break, you two are not quiet.

Oh, there one goes.

(Gif of a cat dancing to “Another One Bites the Dust)

Nita groaned and laughed. Adair’s obsession with cat memes was legendary. His next message wasn’t for another few minutes.

Adair:

Damn! Just as I was finishing helping the last one, someone else comes in.

And she has the fortitude to stay it seems.

(Gif of a crocodile smiling)

Adair:

HOLY

SHIT

Are you alive? Were you murdered? Or just?

(Gif of fireworks display)

Well, Kovit is alive at least, I can hear him talking. So I’m guessing he’s trying to revive you.

(Gif of Deadpool slow clapping)

There’s your voice. High as a kite. So yes, apparently:

(Same gif of fireworks display)

(Gif of a cat laughing)

Adair:

For fucks sake woman! Let the man drink some water!! Hydration is important!!

(Gif of a 3D water bottle spinning in place)

I knew you two were repressed, but holy hell. That has to be at least the third time!!

Adair:

OK, finally, no more customers. This evening has been disturbing on so many levels.

I’m locking up and going home early. You two have fun. Try not to destroy each other. Or the shop.

And let him drink water!!

Nita was laughing so hard she felt tears in her eyes. She was completely mortified, but Kovit was right. It was Adair. He would tease, but it wouldn’t be in a mean spirited way. Nita was fairly sure Diana would be happy for them. She glanced at her phone, but didn’t see any messages from her ghoul friend. For some reason, that only made her more suspicious that Diana already knew. Nita groaned and buried her head in her pillow, and as she did so, she heard the shower turn off. A few moments later, the bathroom door opened, and she heard Kovit’s soft steps cross the room. She felt him run his hand over her curls and a smile curled her lips.

“I’m awake. I’m just never leaving this room again.” Nita muttered, and she heard Kovit chuckle.

“I suppose, if you want to hide away like Rapunzel, I can’t stop you. Though that will make going to school and doing your dissections hard.” Nita groaned and shoved her phone into Kovit’s hand so he could see Adair’s running commentary. Hearing his deep laugh and wanting to see his smile, Nita rolled onto her back and opened her eyes. The sight that greeted her made her breathless and achy again. Kovit hadn’t bothered to dry his hair much, so it was still dripping down his front and back, little rivulets tracing the muscles of his chest and stomach, racing down until they dampened the waistband of his sweatpants. Nita’s mouth went dry as she followed a particular drop of water from his chin, to his pecs, and down, down, down, went dry as she wondered what it would be like to chase that drop with her tongue and lips, to leave little bites across his chest like he had done to her until she got to his pants, and then to keep going. Her train of thought derailed as Kovit laughed again and tossed her phone aside, and he caught sight of her staring at him. He gave her a wicked grin as he leaned over the bed, caging her with his arms. Nita flushed as she shot him a guilty look.

“Like what you see sweetheart?” he asked, his voice husky and rough, and all Nita could do was nod, her face on fire. She squirmed as the achy feeling spread. For god’s sake, he had made her cum so much already, why did she want more. How was she not a puddle on the floor? Kovit kissed her, then pulled back. Nita whimpered softly, and Kovit grinned at her again. “Good. I find the look on your face very satisfying Nita.” he said, echoing her words from earlier back at her. Nita whimpered again. “And now, you don’t have to pretend like you don’t want to look. Like the way you’ve been trying not to for the past month and a half.” Kovit turned and started towards the fridge as Nita gaped at him.

"You knew?!" Nita squeaked, and Kovit chuckled. 

"Why else would I leave the bathroom door open?" Kovit grinned at her over his shoulder "The mirror doesn't stay fogged up that long Nita. And me going shirtless?" Nita sputtered. 

"But I...you...And you said your shirts were making you itchy at night!" Nita sat up and glared at him while Kovit laughed and retrieved their leftovers. 

“Yes. I’m used to just wearing shorts to sleep in, but as cold as Adair leaves this place, that’s not gonna happen til summer. And I did forget my shirt the first time in December. But I also saw your face in the mirror that night.” Kovit set the to-go container on the long table they were using as a makeshift counter, then leaned back against it with his hands propping him up, his face smug as more water dripped down his chest and Nita couldn’t help but watch. He shrugged, and Nita’s eyes snapped up to meet his, which were sparkling with mischief. “So I kept it up. I liked the way it made me feel, and I wanted to see if I could make you look at me that way again. You were talking about being thirsty and tall glasses of water? Well, you looked like you had just crossed the desert and had found an oasis.” 

Nita fumed. An oasis, huh? She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, every intention of stomping over to Kovit and wiping the smug smirk off of his face. Nita just wasn’t sure if she was going to do that by slapping him or kissing him yet, but she figured she’d have time to decide as she walked over to him. The jerk had been teasing her, for weeks! And he was driving her absolutely crazy now! Kovit had had her wrapped around him all night, screaming his name and reeling in pleasure, and with just a look, a touch, barely a sentence, he had her blood boiling again, her body and mind begging her to pounce on him. Nita prided herself on her control, she had learned over the last year to move forward carefully, to take her time. And now it was shredded to the winds, she felt like the damn cat yowling in the alley last week for fucks sake. What the hell was wrong with her? Sex wasn’t supposed to be this important! 

“You smug ass…” was all Nita got out as she pushed herself off the bed, feeling her legs wobble under her. She didn’t pay them much mind as Kovit’s wicked grin grew slightly, but on her second step away from the support of the furniture, Nita’s perspective of the room changed dramatically, and she felt the wind whoosh from her lungs as she landed on her ass. Hard. Kovit flinched as he felt the sting from the impact flare across her nerves as she landed, her legs splayed out to the sides in an awkward split, and he lost his smile as panic filled him. He rushed to her and crouched down in front of her, lifting her face to meet her wide, startled eyes. Kovit saw that her lips were parted in a small o.

“Nita, sweetheart, are you ok?” He asked, his voice trembling, and he noticed that she was as well. Nita took a deep breath, and blinked several times before replying, her voice small and surprised.

“My legs are jello…” They stared at each other in silent shock for several moments before Kovit burst out laughing, and he pulled Nita into a hug. Nita let out an embarrassed groan and pounded a weak fist into his chest as she buried her face into his throat. “Stop it Kovit! You did this to me!” Kovit finished sitting down and pulled Nita into his lap, laughing the whole time.

“I did,” he agreed, trying to catch his breath, and kissed her cheek. “And yet, I’m cruel enough, I can’t say I regret it. Are you ok though?”

“My butt hurts.” Nita whined, her eyes closed as she blushed to the umpteeth time that night. She was pretty sure blushing was going to be her permanent state from now on.

“I can tell. Want me to kiss it and make it feel better?” Kovit had mostly calmed down to chuckles, and he nuzzled her cheek again. Nita’s heart tripped over the image, and she thumped his chest again.

“Kovit, would you make up my damn mind? Either let me calm down, or finish me off! I feel like that fucking cat that went into heat!” Kovit kissed her softly, then pulled back and brushed her hair out of her face, smiling.

“No one’s a slave to lust, huh?” Nita rolled her eyes and groaned.

“You’re supposed to be making me pasta, not making me eat my words Kovit.” She whimpered, snuggling into his hand, and Kovit laughed.

“You’re not the only one Nita.” She glanced at him, and Kovit gave her a pained smile. Nita raised her eyebrows and glanced down, and he pulled her into a tight hug, shaking his head. “No no no no no. No more tonight Nita. I can’t. I really, really can’t.” Kovit rested his chin on her shoulder, his voice sheepish. Nita could feel his blush on her skin as she ran her hands over his shoulders, holding him to her.

“Then how do you figure that you’re a slave to lust now Kovit?” She asked, and he let out a little groan. When he didn’t say anything, Nita started to drag her nails across his bare skin, and Kovit shivered, trying, and failing, not to whimper. “Kovit…” Nita singsonged. He sighed, defeated.

“God, this is embarrassing, Nita.” Kovit groaned, and he pulled back to look at her. “What’s the stereotype of the typical male teenager Nita? Raging hormones, constantly thinking about sex. Jerking off everyday or so?” Nita giggled.

“Very sexist, and inaccurate, but ok. What’s your point?” Kovit rolled his eyes.

“There’s no smoke without fire Nita. Stereotypes happen for a reason, and while not everyone fits the mold, a lot do. I  _ very  _ much did not. I got the itch maybe once, twice a month,  _ if  _ that.” Nita nodded, understanding. It sounded very much like what she had experienced. Kovit looked at her expectantly, raising his eyebrows. When Nita shook her head, not understanding, he snorted. “Nita...Rapid 180 turn around. Going from twice in  _ maybe  _ 30 days, to twice in a matter of  _ hours _ ? And the  _ sounds  _ you make Nita? Oh  _ god _ .” Kovit closed his eyes as he shivered, and Nita swallowed hard. When Kovit opened his eyes again and looked at her, Nita thought her heart was going to burst with the amount of love and desire they held. “I will  _ never  _ torture another living soul on the face of this planet, I will happily give it all up, if it means I get to keep holding you like this. If  _ I  _ get to be the one to keep making you feel  _ that  _ good. I just never realized pleasure could be as addictive as pain. And I don’t want to  _ stop  _ giving you pleasure.” Nita shivered at the look in Kovit’s eyes, and pulled him in for a kiss. She pulled back before it could get too heavy.

“I suppose you’re right.” Nita said, and Kovit smiled at her. “I should get cleaned up. Will you help me stand, please?” Kovit chuckled as he moved.

“Of course. Anything for my Bambi.” Nita looked at him perplexed as he helped her to stand.

“What?” she squeaked, and Kovit kissed her nose.

“Well, climbing your hair would hurt you, no matter what you say about your abilities, so I’ll stick with using the stairs. And like you said, you’re not a damsel in distress, so you don’t really match Rapunzel. With your beautiful skin tone, and pretty freckles that I want to kiss each and every one individually, and your big golden eyes, you’re as beautiful as a fawn. So Bambi.” Kovit pulled her close and kissed her nose again, making Nita scrunch her face up. “Plus, wobbly legs.” Nita laughed, as Kovit spun her around, dancing her to the bathroom.

“I’m revoking your geek card Kovit. Bambi is a boy! I would be Faline, his girlfriend.” Kovit shook his head as he leaned her up against the door frame.

“Nope. Doesn’t matter if Bambi is a boy, he’s the one everyone knows. Other than superfans like you, people have to look up the other names.” Kovit stroked her cheek gently before turning to grab her some nightclothes from the small dresser he and Adair had hauled upstairs. Nita leaned against the door, smiling. She felt warm and happy.

“Fine. If I’m Bambi, who does that make you then?” Kovit turned back to her, clothes in hand, and the lamplight caught in the white streak in his hair. Nita bit down on her lip, but couldn’t help herself. She started to giggle. Kovit caught her gaze and ran a hand through his bangs, his smile easy and free. When he reached her, Kovit handed Nita her clothes and caught her chin with his hand, nuzzling her and rubbing her nose with his.

“You can call me  _ Flower  _ if you want too.” he said in a soft, singsong voice, and Nita melted. Her giggles turned into full on laughter as Kovit peppered her face with light kisses while he chuckled, and she finally pulled him into a deep kiss.

“ _ Mi flor de amor _ .” Nita murmured to him when they came up for air, and Kovit smiled softly at her. “Geek card restored, along with some extra boyfriend brownie points for being an amazing dork.”

“Yay! Brownie points. Now let me earn more by fixing you food while you clean up, love.” Kovit kissed her forehead and shooed Nita into the bathroom. “Don’t drown!” He called out to her as the door closed, and heard Nita’s laugh from the other side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buwahahahaha!!! I hope you enjoyed this. Gods know I did. The inspiration for the whole damn story is finally out for everyone to devour! I can't tell you how happy I've been, watching the hits slowly grow. I think I'm annoying my hubby. Like I've said before, I'm pulling from my own life experience for a lot of the story, family history, etc. Me and hubby have been together for almost 15 years now, and we are major geeks and dorks. I absolutely love all the pop culture references in NEB, OAR, and WVR. When Rebecca described Adair's kelpie smile by referencing Aliens, I flipped my absolute shit! They are some of hubby's favorites, along with Predator, and he has pulled me along for the ride. Not dragged, oh no, I have happily skipped along with him. And I am obsessed with Disney and Pixar movies.
> 
> So did I need to look up Faline's name? Only to make sure I spelled it right. And yes, Flower is a boy. He meets and marries a skunk named Bluebelle, and they name their son after Bambi. Should I know this after 32 years? Well, life sucks most of the time, and is too short to not love the things you love, so I'm gonna let haters hate and shake it off, :P 
> 
> When you find that person that just makes you feel whole, that makes you feel safe being you, it is the best thing in the world. You can have serious conversations while still being silly and humorous, you can be respectful while talking about hard topics in a way that won't break you. Disney and Pixar actually do a good job of highlighting hard topics for kids, and bring them forth in softer, more digestible context. And while some people think they are only for kids, I feel that those people miss the point. We are all human, we all want love and understanding, we all have feelings that need to be acknowledged and understood. We are all children inside that are wrapped up in adult lives. Sometimes the simple pleasures in life, the simple connections and resolutions that happen in children's movies are cathartic. Good eventually wins out over bad, love is all powerful, you are safe, happily ever after is achieved. The reality of the work that goes into maintaining those things doesn't always have to be forefront. You are allowed a break.
> 
> Be good you yourself, and each other. Stay safe. Blessed be, and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	4. Love Me in my Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we get some more insight on the complexities and experiences that make up our favorite pain eating man, and see that the trust that Kovit and Nita are building together does in fact exist for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING!
> 
> Our boy cries in this one. Please don't hate me. I used the tags for a reason. I love you all. You are all worthy of love, of respect. Of self-love, and self-respect. I know so many people say that they are here for you, that you can talk to them any time you need to. But sometimes, what you need isn't to talk. Isn't to reopen the wound over and over again. Sometimes you just need it to be acknowledged, for someone to sit with you in your darkness, to be a silent pillar of support when you want or need to lean on them, and then to hold your hand and walk with you in your light as you go through the messy business of healing, from whatever the wound is. No one can walk your path for you, but they can make the journey less lonely. And I would be honored to sit with you in your darkness, to stroll with you in your light, to lend you a listening ear, or a strong shoulder to lean on. And always, always, share with you my love and support.

It was a much shorter time than Kovit had expected before Nita was leaving the bathroom. He had just finished warming up the pasta and was working on the breadsticks when he heard the door open and then felt her warm arms wrap around his chest from behind. Kovit smiled and squeezed her hand that had found its way to his scar again.

“Hey, that was quick. I didn’t even hear the shower sweetheart.” Nita kissed his shoulder, gazing at the red marks she had left all over them. She felt slightly guilty, but also satisfied that Kovit seemed to enjoy that she had scratched him. 

“Yeah. I settled for a sponge bath for tonight. My legs still feel like the pasta there.” Nita trailed a finger along one of the marks, and vaguely noticed that Kovit shivered. She idly wondered what he would do if she licked it. “I’ll take a shower in the morning. I don’t want to drown.” Kovit’s chuckle cut short with a strangled gasp as Nita gave into temptation and ran her tongue slowly along a welt. Her eyes rolled back in pleasure as his taste exploded in her mouth, and she let out a small moan before she could stop herself. He tasted like his shower gel, yes, and the water that still ran from his damp scalp, but under that was the salty, musky, metal tang of pure  _ male  _ that was Kovit. Nita could feel his heart pounding fast under her hands as she clung to him, his chest heaving with panting breaths and his back rigid, but the implications were lost on her hazy mind. One taste wasn’t enough, so she shifted and licked another welt, this one slightly raised up. 

Kovit let out a harsh cry, and suddenly Nita felt him pull her around, and she found herself flushed to his chest, one of Kovit’s hands fisted in her curls while the other had her bare leg wrapped around his waist as he kissed her roughly and rocked into her. Nita whimpered in delight as Kovit groped at her desperately, but it turned into disappointment when the toaster-oven’s halfway warning buzzer went off and Kovit pulled back, his chest heaving and his eyes wide. Nita trembled as he kept his hand fisted in her hair.

“What the hell was that about, Nita?” Kovit asked, and she realized that he was trembling almost as much as she was. Nita licked her lips, and Kovit’s eyes dropped down to them, and he gave a pained wince. “I thought you wanted to calm down?”

“Sorry.” Nita whispered, and felt her face heating up. She was breathing as hard as Kovit was, and he had her locked in an unyielding grip. “I wasn’t really thinking. It just felt so good to hug you, and I was looking at the scratches on your back, and you’ve seemed so unaffected by everything tonight, and you smelled so good,...so I… I… I just…” Kovit grinned wickedly.

“You licked me.”

“I got carried away! I didn’t mean to actually lick you. The idea popped into my head, and before I could really think, I just did it!” Nita closed her eyes in mortification. “Please don’t be mad. I’m sorry.” Nita peeked her eyes back open when she heard Kovit chuckle huskily.

“I’m not mad Nita. Just very surprised. Pretty sure that was the hottest thing you’ve done tonight, because it was so totally unexpected.” Kovit moved to kiss her, and Nita shifted her leg that he was still holding. Kovit froze again, and Nita pulled back as she felt his breathing pick up pace again and his hand slowly slid first down, and then back up her leg, feeling that it was bare. Kovit gulped, and glanced down, his eyes bugging out and his mouth dropping open as he saw that Nita was standing there in what looked to be just a long shirt. “I stand corrected, it seems…” he whispered, his voice raw, and Kovit closed his eyes as he gulped again. “Nita, I gave you pajama bottoms…” Nita began to giggle softly as she realized what he was thinking.

“Kovit, they kept tangling when I tried to put them on, and I got fed up with the effort. But I promise, I am wearing panties.” Kovit’s eyes snapped open and he looked at her with terror as a blush spread rapidly across his face. “I’m not that cruel.” Kovit nodded.

“No, I know you’re not that cruel…” Nita smirked.

“Yet.” Kovit whimpered and buried his head in her shoulder, shifting his hips again.

“Nita, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is tired and sore! I need rest! This teasing is not letting me rest.” Nita wrapped her arms around Kovit’s shoulders and kissed his temple. 

“I know  cariño. I wasn’t trying to tease, at least, not til that last little bit. I’m sorry.” Kovit sighed and hugged Nita tightly.

“Don’t be. It’s a taste of my own medicine. I’ve teased you all night, even if it wasn’t always meant to rile you up.” 

Kovit pulled back when the toaster oven buzzed a second time. Nita grabbed the pasta as Kovit pulled the fresh garlic sticks out, and they sat down at their shared desk space that doubled as their dining table. The apartment really didn’t have the space for much, so after careful arrangement, Kovit and Nita were able to pack it efficiently. They had their gaming rigs set up back-to-back on their desk on the wall opposite the bed, so it shared a wall with the bathroom door. The desk had a drop-leaf extension that they used as their table. In-between the bed and the desk was the dresser, and on the other side of the bed was a small side table. Along the wall that had the door leading downstairs was the fridge, cleared of Adair’s preparations, and now filled with Kovit’s and Nita’s food, and the long table that Adair had found to serve as a counter. They had a microwave, a small toaster oven, and a hotplate, but since the only sink they had was the bathroom sink or using a tote, they tried to limit how many dishes they dirtied and compromised by using disposable plates, utensils, and chopsticks as much as possible. They stored stuff under the table since they didn’t have any closets, and their gaming rigs did triple duty for school work and tv also.

The furniture was a hodgepodge of styles and colors. Nita found it very comfortable, and she supposed that it wasn’t much different than what many students had. She didn’t see any sense in going out and getting expensive stuff until she and Kovit had a permanent place of their own, if that ever happened. She hoped it would one day. As much as Nita loved the peace and security that living at Adair’s afforded them, she wanted them to stand on their own. Kovit wasn’t the only one who worried about leeching off of others. Nita looked up as Kovit let out a chuckle.

“What’s funny?” she asked, and Kovit grinned.

“Oh, just thinking about what kind of horrible advice Matt would give me about our situation.” Kovit leaned his chin on his hand as he ate, and he chuckled again. “He was my best friend, my only real friend in The Family, but even I knew how much of a pig he was. I’d rein him in when I could, and when it was just the two of us, he was great fun. But thinking about tasting my own medicine has me circling back to tit-for tat. It was Matt’s favorite limerick.” Nita swallowed her bite of pasta before speaking.

“What’s a limerick?” She asked, and Kovit snorted.

“It’s a way of telling a joke, usually a dirty one. They have a certain candance to them, and they rhyme. See, the first and second lines rhyme with each other, and the third and the fourth lines rhyme with each other, and then the final line, the fifth one, usually repeats the last word of the second line as part of the punchline. I mean, they don’t have too, as long as it rhymes with the first and second line.” Nita nodded along as Kovit explained.

“So what does that have to do with tit-for-tat?” Kovit had taken another bite of food, and almost choked as he laughed. He had to take a drink before he could continue.

“Well, there’s this movie called “Shoot-Em Up” ok? Horribly over the top action movie about some gunman that saves a baby from some assassins.” At Nita’s look, Kovit raised his hands in surrender. “Hey, don’t judge  _ me _ , ok? Matt found  _ the  _ weirdest shit, and I’m pretty sure he did it on purpose. Our lives were shitty Nita.” Nita had to give him that. “Anyways, it’s so over the top and cheesy, it’s actually kinda good. But the villain in the movie likes limericks. Only no one around him wants to hear them. Until he gets to the fight scene with the “Hero” and unveils his limerick for tit-for-tat, and it sucks. It sucks ass, Nita. Too wordy, it screws up the cadence which screws up the punchline, and you find out that’s why no one around him wants to hear any of his other ones. But like I said, the movie’s not too bad, has a happy ending, all that jazz. Only problem is, me and Matt get hooked on limericks.” Nita starts giggling, and Kovit nods.

“I have a feeling you guys looked up all the dirty ones you could find, if Matt was as big of a pig as you say.” Nita remarked, and Kovit grinned and shrugged.

“Eh, he did. I can appreciate a dirty joke, but after the 20th time or so, it wears thin and I would like to move onto something else. And not all limericks are dirty. Some of the ones for kids are actually really clever play on words. But the one in the movie was done so badly, it just bugged the shit out of me. So I put it out in the chat with everyone, this was when I was 17 or so, and we all worked together to fix it and make it smooth. And I was finally able to bring it back to Matt and he about pissed himself laughing.” Nita smiled.

“So what did you guys come up with? I want to know!” Kovit laughed and rubbed his face a moment, thinking.

“Give me a second, I have to remember how the rhythm goes so I don’t screw it up.” Nita watched as Kovit tapped out a beat on the table, and tried to eat a breadstick quickly. She had a feeling she wouldn’t want anything in her mouth when he told her the joke. Kovit cleared his throat. “Ok, I think I got it:

There once was a woman named Pat,

Who bore triplets named Matt, Nat, & Tat.

She’d say: “Twas great fun in the breeding, 

but purely hell in the feeding!”

When she found she had no Tit-For-Tat!”

Nita burst out laughing, spraying bread crumbs all over her plate. Kovit leaned back in his chair, laughing too, enjoying her reaction. Nita covered her mouth to keep from spraying more food out.

“Oh my god, Kovit! That’s great! Are all limericks like that?” Nita asked, and Kovit shrugged, still chuckling. He ate a bit more pasta before replying.

“A lot of them are dirty. Some of them are  _ nasty _ !” Kovit rolled his eyes and shook his head, “But they don’t have to be. I like the ones that are clever more.” Nita tilted her head in thought. Kovit looked at her expectatedly. “What?”

“Just thinking. Wondering if I could make one up.” Kovit grinned.

“Probably. As smart as you are, I wouldn’t be surprised. They can be about anything.” Nita smiled wickedly as an idea popped into her head. She thought for a few more moments as she and Kovit ate, and even though the tempo wasn’t  _ quite  _ right, it was as good as it was going to get.

“Ok, how’s this?

Once, a woman named Nita,

A cunning Senorita.

Became a black market dealer,

An informational stealer,

She’d kill you, and let her friends eat’cha!”

Kovit started laughing so hard, tears began to leak from his eyes again, and he clapped his hands proudly. Nita giggled and felt herself glow with happiness, enjoying being with him like this. It felt so normal and  _ right _ ! Chatting and goofing off over food, after a day of school. The stress and worries of her insecurities gone, replaced by a lightness and sleepy satisfaction brought on by their intimacy. Nita blushed as she gazed at Kovit’s happy, laughing face. His skin had a healthy glow, and his hair was so soft, she wanted to get lost in petting it all night long as he slept in her arms. Nita felt her heart swell as Kovit wiped tears from his cheeks.

“Oh god, Nita, that was great!” Nita looked down and giggled softly. Yes, their humor was very dark. But that was them. “Missing a couple of syllables, but damn. And you say you’ve never heard of limericks before?” Nita shook her head with a smile.

“Nope.” Nita finished the last of her food and stood up, grabbing their empty plates. Kovit rubbed his face tiredly, then gave a chief’s kiss of appreciation. 

“Muwah. That was a damn fine limerick for a first timer then. And you didn’t even need help thinking of it. You’re so smart Nita.” His eyes were as soft as his voice when Nita turned around and shot him a smile, dumping their plates in the trash can. Kovit was leaned back in his computer chair, his arms raised over his head and swiveling back and forth slightly as he gazed at her happily. “How’d I get so lucky to meet you Nita?” It was a rhetorical question, not meant to be said out loud, but Nita heard it and snorted. Kovit realized he had spoken and looked at her. “What? You don’t think we were lucky to meet each other?” Nita threw him a glare over her shoulder as she went about cleaning up the small mess that always came with making food in their room.

“Don’t make me dissect you Kovit” she warned, and he grinned as he watched her move smoothly back and forth, the shirt riding up as she leaned forward to sweep up crumbs. The view of her shapely legs was nice too. “I am lucky to have met you, and you damn well know I feel that way. But you can’t deny that the situation was shit. It was no Cinderella and Prince Charming at the ball.” Nita dusted her hands off over the trash and leaned back with her arms crossed over her waist, and Kovit grinned sardonically at her.

“Yeah. More like Beauty and the Beast. Or would it be Tarzan, since we were in Jungle Purgatory?” Nita laughed as she walked forward and Kovit sat up, sliding the latch out from under the tabletop so it swung down and out of the way, now that they were done eating. Nita pushed her chair over and under her side of the desk before leaning down to kiss Kovit sweetly.

“Beauty and the Beast. I like that one better. And Reyes got what was coming to her, just like Gaston. So yes. I feel very lucky to have met you Kovit.” Nita gave him another kiss before pulling away despite Kovit’s whine. “I’m going to bed.” she said, and headed that way. Kovit stood up and pushed his chair back into place as Nita settled back onto her pillow, then went to the bathroom to refill their water glasses. When he came back out, he handed hers over, and sat his down on the dresser, reaching for the lamp. He paused as Nita spoke up.

“I can see why Matt would like the limerick you made though.” Kovit glanced at her, confused at the sudden switch in conversation. Nita had a wicked smile on her face. “ _ He _ got a tit.” Kovit blinked at her.

“What?!” Nita giggled at his shocked face.

“You said the woman had three sons, and their names were Matt, Nat, and Tat, right?” Kovit nodded, wondering where she was going. Nita ran a hand across her throat, and Kovit swallowed hard at the sight. “Well, if there was no tit for Tat, it would be because she was already feeding the other two boys. Ergo, there  _ was  _ a Tit-For-Matt.” Kovit groaned into his hand, and hit the lightswitch.

“I really am a fucking idiot.” he muttered as he crawled under the covers and Nita wrapped her arms around him, still giggling. 

“No you’re not Kovit.

“I am too. 5 years. I didn’t realize for 5 fucking years the double meaning of my own damn joke Nita! The only reason I even used the name Matt was because it was a guy’s name that rhymed with the others. I hadn’t  _ meant  _ to put  _ Matt  _ in the joke!” Kovit began to laugh again at the thought. “Oh GOD! No fucking wonder it was his favorite. Even in jokes, that damn player gets some. Motherfucker…” They laughed together as Nita snuggled into Kovit’s side, and he ran his hands up her back, slipping them slightly under her shirt.

“You say he was your best friend, but you talk about him so meanly.” Nita giggled, and Kovit smirked, shaking his head.

“It’s a guy thing. Ribbing and being assholes to each other. I think the catch phrase now is “Toxic masculinity”? I call it calling him out on his bullshit, and him calling me out on mine. Plus, being in the mob, there was a certain limit on how vulnerable you could be with people.” Kovit pulled Nita closer to him, and settled his chin on her hair. “The chat was safer for that sort of thing. They didn’t know who I was, really, who I was connected to, so they weren’t in danger. But Matt had my back in other ways. I knew I could count on him for other things. He just didn’t understand all my rules either. Matt’s mindset was, if life was frustrating you it could be solved one of two ways, fighting or fucking. And what you said about horror stories of guys not caring about the girl’s feelings or needs?” Nita groaned into Kovit’s chest and he tightened his hold on her.

“Pig.” She muttered, and Kovit let out a dark chuckle. Nita sat up and glanced at him, the light from the window falling on his face. She gently pulled his bangs out of the way, seeing a look of, was that almost anger? On his face. It was harsh and unyielding, whatever it was, and Kovit was holding her tightly, as if to protect her from his thoughts. Nita put her hand on his cheek. “Kovit?” She asked gently, and he sighed, forcing his face and arms to relax.

“He was an asshole, Nita. But he wasn’t one dimensional either. He was so angry all the time, and it kept getting worse and worse the older we got. Everything in our lives was so, so restricted, so regulated. What we did, how long we had to get it done, how we were to behave. For all I was Henry’s p rotégé , we were both low men on the totem pole. Newbie ranking basically, despite both us having grown up working for The Family. We hadn’t earned our privileges and freedoms yet. Fighting and sex were as much Matt’s escape and his leash as video games and the chat room were mine.” Kovit sighed, and Nita brushed her fingers across his cheek gently.

“So it didn’t matter who he fought or how badly he hurt them, because really, he was fighting himself and his situation. And he was trying to use women to alleviate his anger when that didn’t work.” Nita said softly, and Kovit chuckled weakly.

“I said he was an asshole Nita…” He started, and she pressed a finger to his lips.

“And you weren’t wrong when you said he wasn’t one dimensional either. I was the one that wanted to carve out the hearts of 4-plus women today and feed it to them in tiny little bites.” Nita gave Kovit a sharp smile as he winced at her sickenly over-sweet tone, and patted his cheek before going on in a more normal one. “But I’ve had the benefit of therapy. Just because I understand in a general sense where his viewpoint came from, doesn’t mean I’m condoning his choices or excusing them, anymore then I did yours in Peru. I’m not really judging him as a whole person, it’s not my place, but if given the choice, Matt definitely doesn’t sound like someone I would want to date.” Nita gave a laugh as Kovit’s arms tightened around her again possessively, and kissed him lightly. “I don’t want anyone but  _ you  _ Kovit. And from the sounds of things, I don’t think you share Matt’s mindset about sex.” Kovit groaned lowly and buried his face in Nita’s hair.

“Oh god no, Nita.” he muttered, holding her close and kissing her temple. Kovit let out another sigh, before he relaxed back and looked at her again, cupping her face in his hand. “I could never treat you like that, like some toy, some  _ thing _ , to be used and thrown away. And I’m not just talking about the physical part Nita. As far as Matt was concerned, if a girl got off, cool, good for her, but if not, he didn’t care as long as he got his. I don’t understand how he didn’t, how he  _ couldn’t _ , care, Nita…” Nita’s heart hurt to see the sadness in Kovit’s eyes, to see how much he loved her as he held her close. She kissed him softly again before answering.

“Because some people just don’t Kovit. To some people, it’s just sex, just another activity. Not necessarily a bad thing, unless like Mom, you use it as a tool to hurt people. To have children just so that they are pawns against the other parent, like Dad,” Nita spoke her fear aloud for the first time, and heard the catch in her voice. Kovit squeezed her tight and kissed her forehead in support. “Or to use sex to lure out prey on the hunt…” 

“For fucks sake Nita,” Kovit hissed angrily “Was she using you as bait?” Nita shook her head.

“No, herself. I look just like Mom did though, body wise, only she was fair skinned, and had straight hair that she dyed black with red streaks.” Kovit looked slightly uncomfortable at the thought of Nita looking so much like her mother. “I was a useful tool, but not like that. Mom did usually learn from her mistakes, and trying to use me that way was too risky. Nadya fell in love with Andrej after they became lovers, and that’s when Mom lost control of her. Mom wouldn’t let the same thing happen to me. I think that’s why she was so angry when she found out we had met back up here in Toronto when I asked for your help with Fabricio.” Kovit furrowed his brow.

“Isn’t it a bit cliche for the parents to be angry at their daughter for ditching them to go hooking up with a guy she met? You really think it was more than just her control issues?” Nita shrugged.

“Maybe not. I don’t want to live inside her head, I’ve had to do that enough for one lifetime. But for someone like her, who didn’t know how to really love someone else? To her, love was unconditional obedience, unquestioning loyalty. A warped and broken game of dominance and subjugation.” Nita’s voice was hard and frustrated “She called you my pet monster, and asked me if I was  _ really  _ sure  _ I  _ was the one in control of our relationship, because of course, an equal partnership was forgein to her. She asked if I was  _ really  _ sure you weren’t just using and manipulating me to suit and fulfill your  _ needs _ . She didn’t explicitly say what those needs  _ were _ . It was all implication. She could have as easily been talking about your need to eat pain, the need to stay safe from INHUP, as she could have been talking about sex Kovit.” Nita could feel Kovit struggle for breath.

“So you think your mother was implying I was going to force myself on you?” Nita shrugged, and shook her head.

“Or that you already had, I don’t know for sure. It doesn’t matter, because none of it was true. Not ever Kovit. Mom was the manipulator, not you. I knew then, just as I know now, that you would never hurt me, and that’s why I chose  _ you _ . I don’t think I could have expressed it then as clearly as I can now, but I knew in my heart, even then, that nowhere in this world am I as safe as right here with you Kovit.” Nita wiped away the tear that had escaped Kovit’s eye as he listened to her. “How could someone like Mom, with her broken understanding of love, ever understand what we had found? And that we had found it in such a short amount of time, and without sex? How could she hope too?” Kovit pulled Nita close and kissed her deeply, holding her face gently as she wiped the tears from his cheeks. When he pulled back, he pressed his forehead to her’s and sighed.

“I guess I hurt for Matt, as much as I’m angry at him for being such a stupid idiot, getting himself killed. He never got to have something like this Nita. He never got to have something  _ real _ .” Kovit’s voice was full of longing as he held her gently. “Even if Matt never escaped The Family, he could have had something real, and deep, and meaningful. He  _ was  _ capable of using his brain. You asked how I could be so unaffected by Adair’s teasing?” Nita nodded. “It’s because Adair at least isn’t mean-spirited. We all have dark, morbid humor, I mean, how can we not with the shit we’ve all been through?” They both gave weary laughs at that, and Nita settled back onto Kovit’s chest as she listened to him sigh. 

“But as we got older, Matt got, well, he would get mean, and then he got cruel sometimes. Usually with others, but even with me at times, though it was rare. His jokes would become taunts, baiting people into fighting with him. It came to a head between me and him just after we turned 17, just before the whole limerick thing. Actually, we hadn’t hung out as much before then, because of our difference in attitude, and after our fight, he started coming around more again, with stupid movies, video games for consoles. It was his way of trying to salvage our friendship. I appreciated it.” Kovit went quiet for a bit, and Nita stroked his chest softly.

“What happened to make you two fight?” She asked, and Kovit took a deep breath.

“Male pride.” He started slowly. “His and mine. There was a smaller organization, not a family really, but not a petty street gang either, that wanted to borrow my services. They had found a leak, and wanted me to get information from him about what all he had leaked to their competitors.” Nita’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“I thought you said torture isn’t good for getting information? That the subject will just say whatever you want to hear to make the pain stop?” Kovit smirked at her and kissed her forehead.

“I did. And that’s why I was arguing with Henry about going. It had happened before. I would enter the room, creep the person out, they’d start pissing themselves to tell what they had done, and I would end up hungry while Father Pullman got paid. Flip side, I’d either get a fairly decent meal, or get started to, and the client would end up with a load of bullshit that they didn’t want to pay for, even though Father Pullman would always tell them that information pulled under torture was never reliable. Then Father Pullman would have to send  _ his  _ bully boys for his payment, or sometimes the client would get cold feet and wouldn’t let me finish, and either way it was always a hassle.”

“But Henry wanted you to take the job?” Nita said, and Kovit nodded, rubbing her back slowly.

“He did. I was being stubborn, but so was he. He had another job he had to take care of, away from the House, and didn’t have time for me to be a “Sullen, Angsty, Teenager”. Father Pullman wanted the contract done, and I needed to shut up and get to it. I was pissed. Then Matt sticks his big fat nose in it. Asks Henry to make a deal.” Nita looked at Kovit and frowned.

“Why does that sound like a bad idea?” Kovit grinned crookedly.

“Because with Matt, the only time he tried to make deals, was when he was either making trouble, or trying to get  _ out  _ of trouble. Henry knew this, so he asked Matt, what  _ kind  _ of deal exactly. Matt says he’ll go with me, with the group to the job, and if it’s a flop, me and him get a night of freedom.”

“Wait, what?” Nita asked, and Kovit chuckled, raising a finger. 

“If the mark caved and gave his info before I got started, or,” Kovit raised a second finger with a twisted grin “The client got cold feet and stopped me in the middle so I didn’t get to finish eating, me and Matt got a night off to go raise hell and find me something to eat so I didn’t go hungry.” Nita blinked. 

"What if they didn't cave and you got to eat?" She asked without thinking, and Kovit's grin settled down into a smirk again.

"That's what Henry asked, and where Matt said our part of the deal came in. If I got to eat, he'd help the boys make sure Father Pullman got paid, regardless of how big a pile of crap the guy spilled, and we'd come straight home like two good little puppys on retractable leashes, no fuss. Henry asked me what I thought of the deal. I told him it sounded a hell of a lot better than being treated like a child still after 7 years of work, and at least I wouldn't go hungry." Nita's brow furrowed again.

"Henry was gonna let two 17 year olds raised by the mob go out by themselves?" Kovit laughed bitterly. 

"Hell no. We'd still have babysitters, the four bruisers being sent with me for the job. They thought the deal was hilarious, said it was about time us baby sharks learned how to swim. Henry reminded them that we were still Family property, we were still responsible for The Family reputation. If they let us get into too much trouble, it would be their asses on his worktable. Then he gave me and Matt his short version of “The Talk”. Basically, if we got stupid, we had better wrap it before we tapped it, because if we tried to pull a stunt like Jeremy had the year before, Henry would make us eat our own asses  _ and  _ still put us in a penguin suit to wait at the altar for the girl.” Nita snorted.

“Father of the year award.” she muttered dryly, and Kovit shrugged.

“It was my first time going out without his direct supervision, and Matt already had a reputation. It’s not like he drove us to a nudy bar or shoved a box of condoms in my hands Nita. He was just reminding me to think with my head, not just my dick.” Kovit shifted a bit, tugging Nita closer and running a hand under her shirt again. Nita closed her eyes as the feeling relaxed her, and she snuggled closer to his warmth.

“Fair point,” she conceded, and Kovit chuckled. “So what happened when you got to the job? I’m guessing you didn’t need to torture the guy since you talked about the bruisers being your babysitters for the night.” Kovit chuckled harder.

“Have I told you how smart you are Nita? God I love how smart you are.” he kissed her forehead again and Nita hummed happily. “Yeah, just like I predicted, I walk into the room, and before I even finish cracking a grin, the dude starts babbling. I pull out my blade, start cleaning my nails, and he starts talking faster. I go to step closer to him, and he cracks, right down the center. Client is happy as a clam, sends me, Matt, and the boys to his office to wait for the payment. We end up waiting a while, Matt’s getting annoyed because he wants to go have fun, I’m getting annoyed because I’m hungry. Client finally comes, gives the bruisers Father Pullman’s payment. He thanks us for coming, all the usual polite bullshit, says his men will show us out, when Matt opens his mouth again. Asks where  _ my  _ payment is.” Nita rolled her eyes.

“Making trouble again.” Kovit nodded.

“Pretty much. Before any of the bruisers could reprimand us, I told Matt to can it. We came and did what we came to do, we got the payment Father Pullman agreed to, and we had Henry’s promise of a night of fun. I told him if he didn’t shut up, he was going to cost us our night out. That pisses Matt off, but he shuts up for the moment, until I apologize to the client and the client asks what Matt meant.” Kovit rubbed his face, and Nita stroked his chest. She could hear his heartbeat pick up pace. “Matt makes a snarky taunt about me apparently not caring that I was cheated out of a meal.” Nita pulled in a hissing breath.

“He accused someone in the mob of cheating you? To his face?” Nita asked, her voice tight. Kovit sighed again.

“Yeah. Matt wasn’t wrong, but he was purposely stirring the pot. He knew I didn’t like explaining why I had to eat pain. People never want to listen, they prefer their own stories and lies, their own prejudices. Things got tense, and I had to step outside my comfort zone to make sure we could save face. I had to explain to the client that if zannies went too long without eating pain, they got sick, passed Matt’s rudeness off as concern for me, as a friend. Had to explain that by calling me out and  _ not  _ giving me someone to hurt, the client put my health at risk. Don’t ask me how, but I had the guy eating out of the palm of my hand. He told the head bruiser to send our evening’s bill to him, and he would take care of it since he called us out for nothing…” Nita continued to rub Kovit’s chest in soothing circles.

“I can see that happening. You can be quite charming when you hold back on the murderous sarcasm. And with it too, truth be told.” Kovit huffed, and Nita grinned. “What happened then?” 

“We left. The bruisers were impressed with me, but Matt was in a foul mood. He was itching for a fight, and the bruisers being impressed with me made him itcher. Had to say, I was pretty pissed with him too. When they asked what we wanted to do for the night, Matt said he wanted to find a club and get a drink. I said I didn’t care, as long as I could find something to eat.” Nita frowned and her hand paused.

“They were going to let you drink even though you were underage?” Kovit chuckled at Nita’s skewed moral compass.

“Underage drinking isn’t the worst crime the mafia has commited Nita.” Nita shrugged, again conceding the point, and resumed rubbing Kovit’s chest. His hands continued to wander over her back, both over and under her shirt. “So, we found a club. Matt and I split up for a while. Couple of the bruisers went with me, a couple with him. I was looking for pain to eat when there was a commotion at the bar.” Kovit took a deep breath and Nita wiggled closer, lending him comfort. “It was Matt. There was a chick who was refusing his advances, and he wasn’t listening to the bruisers. Not that they were doing much to try to distract him. The girl tried to walk away, Matt grabbed her arm. I grabbed him, made him let her go. Then I dragged him outside to the alley. When he took a swing at me, I dodged and shoved him into the wall. He started yelling at me, asked me what my problem was.” Kovit took a shuddering breath, his voice distant, and Nita pulled him tight.

“I told him my problem was him, trying to force himself on an unwilling woman, and asked him what the hell his problem was. Matt scoffed and said I needed to stop acting like a gelded pony and get laid, that there was more to life than staying at Henry’s heel. Matt already had a reputation as a player, like I said, and I was getting one for avoiding women. And it was well known by then that I didn’t touch sexual pain, wouldn’t go near that kind of torture. So I had heard comments like that before from others. They didn’t matter. But when Matt said I needed to learn to be a man instead of a neutered dog, begging for scrapes from his master’s table, I lost it for a bit. I jumped him.” Kovit covered his eyes with an arm, his face strained when Nita propped herself up to look at him, unable to meet her eyes. “We were both so full of anger, neither one of us felt the punches we landed on the other, and I didn’t even feel his pain. I remember yelling at Matt, telling him I would rather be known as a neutered dog than as a rapist, that I may be a monster but that I wasn’t a beast. I told him I wasn’t going to let him use me as a tool to escape the house just so he could prey on women, that I would rather throw away 7 years of friendship before I would break my rules.” Kovit choked up and Nita swallowed hard, feeling his heart racing.

“Oh,  cariño…” she crooned, and Kovit shook his head slowly, chewing on his lip as he tried to find his words again. It took him a while.

“I shrugged off the bruisers, and started to walk away. They asked where I was going, and when I told them I was going home, they reminded me I hadn’t eaten, that they were supposed to stay with me, blah blah blah. Pretty sure if looks actually could kill, they’d all have been dead there and then. I told them that they were going to be staying with Matt, they would be making sure that the beast made it home that night without disgracing The Family. That the monster knew how to slip through the shadows without making a scene, without  _ being seen _ . Besides, Henry had a tracking app on my phone, and I wasn’t stupid enough to pull a Jeremy. I was going straight home. When they reminded me again that I still needed to eat, I looked straight into Matt’s eyes and said I would rather starve, then I turned around and walked away. I walked for about an hour, maybe two, before a car pulled up in front of me.” Kovit moved his arm, staring up at the shadows on the ceiling. He pulled Nita closer, clinging to her like a liferaft.

“When the driver stepped out and opened the door, Father Pullman was sitting there, and motioned for me to get in. I thought for sure that he was going to reprimand me, but he didn’t. He spent almost the entire ride in silence, watching me. I just remember staring at his feet. When he finally spoke, I almost jumped out of my skin. We were almost home, and he said, “You’re growing into a fine young man Kovit. You did well, representing The Family this evening.” I was finally able to look at him in surprise, and he nodded slightly. “Oh yes,” He said. “You did very well. You handled tension with the client smoothly, along with delivering the information they wanted. The boys sent with you were impressed with your maturity. You saved The Family’s reputation from a situation at a nightclub without too much of a fuss, and you handled it personally, without involving outsiders. You made sure that those with you knew where you would be heading and how to find you, and kept your word. And you’ve handled a possible confrontation or reprimand from me with far more intestinal fortitude and composure then some men twice your age or more. Yes, you are doing very well, Kovit. So far.”” Nita ground her teeth.

“He just had to add that last little bit didn’t he?” she muttered, and Kovit huffed.

“Too much praise gives rise to hope, which is a dangerous drug Nita. It has to be tempered with warning. Too little praise gives rise to dissent, which is a disease. It is easier to prevent dissent than to cure it.” Nita frowned.

“That sounds like the mindset of a dictator.” She said and Kovit gave her a wry grin.

“Like a crimelord? Or your mother?” Nita bit her lip and nodded. That hit the nail on the head. Kovit sighed, and hugged her. “When we stopped at the House, Father Pullman pulled out a small box and gave it to me. It had my switchblade in it.” Nita blinked at him, her mouth dropping open. 

“You mean…” Kovit nodded, his eyes sad.

“It’s stupid, and it shouldn’t matter. Father Pullman is part of so many of my bad memories, the reason for so many of my rules. But that night, he saw me. He saw and acknowledged my work. Completely separate from Henry. And he showed appreciation for it, in some small way.” Nita felt tears sting her eyes at the thought of just how little love Kovit had had growing up, how much he had to have yearned for it. At least she had her father to love her, even if he failed to protect her. No one could be strong all the time.

“Wanting validation isn’t stupid Kovit. Especially if the man was part of why your life was miserable. I was constantly seeking validation from Mom. They treated you like a tool, not a person, unless it suited their purpose. I understand how that feels.” Kovit kissed her gently, and pressed his forehead against hers.

“How are you able to meet me so easily on so many levels sweetheart?” He asked, and NIta smiled sadly.

“Because we’ve both been through really heavy shit, cariño. I’m sorry you had no one to turn to, no one to understand your rules.” Kovit shrugged helplessly.

“Like I said, after our fight, Matt tried. When we hung out, it was more regular stuff. Video games, movies. We didn’t try going out on the town again for a couple more years. And Matt never tried to force another girl again. Like I said, he was a damn pig, didn’t care about their feelings as far as satisfaction went. Didn’t care if he was seeing one girl and hooked up with another. But he made damn sure the consent was explicit. And neither he nor Henry would ever say if he got reprimanded.” Nita ran her hand through Kovit’s hair, and he closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch.

“With Pullman’s cryptic praise, you’d think so. But still, I’m sorry Kovit. I’m sorry I didn’t respect your boundaries before. You deserve better.” Kovit opened his eyes and gazed at her lovingly.

“That’s over now Nita. You don’t have to beat yourself up over what you can’t change.  _ You’ve  _ changed. You  _ are  _ better about my boundaries now. That’s all that matters.”

“I still worry I’m going to make mistakes. I don’t know what all your lines are, or how they work together. But it’s not something I have the right to force you to talk about.” Nita wrapped her hand around Kovit’s, feeling his strong fingers intertwine with hers. 

“You’re not forcing me Nita, they’re something that you have the right to know about, if we are going to make a life together. But I built them over time, and it’s going to take me time to explain them. Some of them are small, and the memories linked to them aren’t as traumatic. Others…” Kovit swallowed, and Nita pulled him close. She could feel him trembling hard.

“It’s ok Kovit. We don’t have to rush anything.” Kovit shook his head rapidly.

“It’s not about rushing Nita. It’s about if ever.” he babbled, and Nita drew back, concerned. Kovit's breathing was rapid, and his face was twisted into a grimace with his eyes tightly closed. Nita felt the bones in her hand grind together as he clung to her desperately. She sat up all the way, placing her other hand his cheek. He flinched. 

"Kovit?"

"I was 13. It was after Anna's blow up. Someone screwed up Nita." The bottom of Nita's stomach dropped as the beginning of the familiar story started. Kovit had pushed himself back up against the headboard as much as he possibly could, as if to distance himself from his words, even as he clung to her hand. "He was sent to me and Henry. Henry was guiding me like he did back then, when suddenly, Father Pullman is there, screaming his head off. I was terrified, thinking that I had done something wrong, and then Pullman is punching the man we were working on. I'd never seen that before!" Tears were leaking from Kovit's tightly closed eyes, and Nita wiped them away, shifting closer to him when he didn't flinch away that time.

"After a while, Henry is able to calm him down, and says something to him that makes him happy. He tells a guard to bring him a chair. I'm panicking by then. I'm not allowed to leave a session once it's started without permission, and Father Pullman has never sat in on one I've done. Henry comes over, and he says...he says...oh god Nita, he tells me to…" Kovit choked on his panic, and Nita gripped him by his chin, lifting his face up even though he still wouldn't look at her.

"He tells you how to cut the man. Tells you to go too far." Nita guessed, and Kovit's eyes popped open, tears flooding down his cheeks and into her palms.

"I tell him no. It's the first big thing I've defied him on since he stopped bringing me children." Kovit's voice was shattered, his eyes haunted. "Henry's angry, but all I can think of is Anna's words. They circle in my head, round and round like a tornado, blocking out everything else, and I just keep telling him no. And suddenly the guards drag me to Father Pullman. And I can see the fury in his eyes as he questions me, but I can't, I can't, I can't…" Kovit sucked in a heaving breath, trapped inside his mind, and Nita pulled him to her, pulled his head to her chest so he can hear her heart beating as she forces it to stay slow and steady despite him struggling against her. After several tense moments of him pushing against her, fighting her hold, Kovit's flight or fight response calmed down enough for him to recognize it's Nita holding him, not the guards in his memory. He slowly went limp in her arms, his heaving pants turning into wracking sobs as Nita began to gently rock him and rub his back. 

"I'm here,  cariño ." Nita whispered, kissing him gently on top of his head. "I'm right here."

"They make me stay, Nita." Kovit whimpered, sounding so exhausted, as though he had carried the whole world for forever. "They force me to watch Henry do the work. They make me feel and eat…" Kovit sobbed harder and Nita wrapped her arms tightly around him, trying to protect him from his pain. From the additional trauma and horror of your own body betraying you, giving you pleasure during such a traumatic event. Nita swallowed hard as she clung to Kovit, desperate to keep him from shattering to pieces.

"It is over, Kovit. You stood your ground and you are free of them. You'll never have to go through that again. I promise, I'll keep you safe. We'll keep each other safe." Kovit sat up and cupped her chin in his hand, his eyes swollen and red.

"Nita, I just don't know if I can be everything you need me to be! The thought of hurting you that way makes me feel sick to my stomach!" At Nita's confused look, Kovit let out a distressed whine. "Doesn't the first time hurt for girls?" Nita gaped for a moment. Of course. Her mother had mentioned something like that in passing. Nita sighed, shaking her head.

"Kovit, you're putting too much pressure on yourself right now. Neither one of us is ready to go all the way right now. If you never are, that's not going to be a deal breaker for me. There are obviously other things we can do to make each other feel good." It was Kovit's turn to gape and be confused. 

"But you were so upset earlier, when you were worried about the other women flirting with me and if I wanted you the same way you wanted me. You specifically said sex?" Nita pulled Kovit back into a hug, and kissed his temple.

"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding  cariño . To clarify: I am mentally, emotionally, and physically attracted to you. If you feel the same way, I would like to express our emotional attraction by forming a monogamous relationship between us. Our physical attraction can be expressed through such activities as we are both comfortable with and consent to mutually at any given moment. Is this arrangement agreeable to you?" Kovit began to chuckle halfway through Nita's spiel, and snuggled into her throat. When she was done, he was actually laughing. 

"You are a  _ nerd  _ Nita." He said softly when she was done, his voice cracked from his crying. He was still a bit stuffed up as well, but much calmer. Nita ran her hand through his hair, and Kovit yawned. "A big brained, beautiful, alien, nerd. I love you. I'm sorry for breaking down like that." Nita kissed him softly. 

"Its alright  cariño . No one could go through something like that without having some sort of lasting trauma. I didn’t mean to push, but you don’t have to keep things bottled up either. You’ve helped me work through my darkness, been strong for me when I’ve been weak. I love you in your darkness too Kovit.” Kovit gave a shuddering breath and settled back into Nita’s hold, his head on her shoulder as Nita continued to run her hand through his hair. He closed his eyes and pressed his face into her throat, feeling her steady pulse against his lips.

“I wish I could be as strong as you Nita. That I could believe in me as much as you do. There are days when it feels like my evil is going to swallow me whole. I don’t want it to swallow you too.” Nita held him close and rubbed her cheek against his.

“It won’t  Kovit. I have plenty of evil of my own. And you are strong, just in a different way than me. Did you know, there are lots of stone cliffs in Madrid, where I lived for a time when I was a child?” Kovit shook his head, and Nita hummed. “There are, especially along the coast. A lot are bare rock. They’ve stood for a very long time, weathering storms and the tides.” Kovit smiled softly.

“Like you.” he said, and Nita nodded.

“Like me. But the problem with bare rock is that water will erode it, will seep into the cracks and freeze and expand, making the cracks bigger. Water will dissolve the softer minerals, making the harder elements crumble apart. Now, remember the big storm we had here just before Halloween? How I told you we lost some trees around campus because of the winds?” Kovit pulled his face from Nita’s throat to look at her expectantly and nodded.

“What do trees here in Toronto have to do with cliffs in Madrid, or us being strong?”

“I’m getting to that cariño. Most of the trees around campus are ones like pines or oaks, trees that don’t have much give in their limbs or trunks. So when the storm came, the trees were bent so hard, they snapped. But there are other trees with more give to them. They bend, they don’t break. I remember coming out of class one day, and the workmen were clearing some of the debris, and there was one tree standing, all by itself in a corner of the park. It was missing some leaves, a couple of limbs had been torn off by branches of other trees hitting it, but otherwise, it was normal. I stood there for several minutes, just looking at it, until a workman asked me to move, and I asked him what kind of tree it was. It was a willow.” Kovit gazed at her quietly.

“Are you trying to tell me I’m a tree, Nita?” He asked, and Nita giggled.

“As much as I’m a cliff, and you did say I could call you Flower. A tree is just as good, if not manlier.” Kovit chuckled. “What I’m saying is that you are strong in your own way, Kovit. You bend instead of breaking, and you've been through some stuff that should have really broken you.” Kovit huffed.

“I am broken Nita.” She sighed and rolled her eyes, tightening her arms around him.

“You’ve lost some leaves, and some of your branches are twisted or broken. Parts of me are eroded away, and crumbling Kovit, just like the cliffs. But we are still standing, still mostly whole, just like the cliffs and the willow.” Nita cupped Kovit’s chin and kissed him gently. “And the best part is, is that we are together. We aren’t standing alone anymore. Because there are some cliffs in Madrid that aren’t just bare rock. Some are covered in trees and other vegetation. The cliffs provide protection for the trees from the winds, provide a stable place for them to grow and thrive. And the trees help keep the cliffs from eroding away, their roots hold the cliffs together, they drink up the water and hold the softer dirt and minerals in place so that the cliffs remain standing.” Kovit smiled contently.

“A partnership. Lending their strengths to the other to make up for the other’s weakness. How are you so amazing Nita?” Nita grinned and shrugged, kissing him on the forehead again and settling back against the headboard as she held Kovit close.

“I  _ talk  _ with my therapist Kovit, and  _ listen  _ when she talks back to me. Darico is pretty smart.” Kovit snorted, then coughed.

“Lucky you. Mine are all dumb assholes.” Kovit coughed again, and groaned. “Shit.” Nita looked at him worried.

“Problems?” Kovit shook his head and pulled away, sitting up.

“Nothing I can’t handle. And I need to go wash my face, I don’t want to blow boogers all over you.” He sounded like he had a head cold, and Nita giggled.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.” she said, and Kovit grinned as he stood up, walking to the bathroom.

“I see, you’ll pick your nose, and you’ll pick your boyfriend, but you won’t pick your boyfriend’s nose.” Kovit snarked, trying to chuckle and ending up making a gurgling, hacking noise that made Nita wince in sympathy as he picked up his pace to the sink.

“Don’t drown in your own snot!” she crooned, and giggled more as the light flipped on and the water began to run. Nita sighed and closed her eyes tiredly, leaning her head back as she thought over the day. It had definitely been a rollercoaster. The light flipping off had her looking over to see Kovit heading back towards her. She didn’t realize she had been fidgeting with her shirt until he spoke.

“Did you need a new one?” 

“Hmm?” she asked, her mind elsewhere. Kovit smiled softly.

“A shirt. Did you need a new one, since I, you know. Got that one all wet?” Nita smiled back at him and shook her head.

“No, it’s alright.” Nita nibbled on her lip as Kovit slid back into bed. “Actually, would it be ok if I went without tonight?” Kovit paused, and looked at her wide eyed. Nita laughed. “To sleep Kovit!  _ Just  _ to sleep. I want to be close to you, and I already miss the way it feels to have my skin touching yours. That’s all.” Kovit hung his head and gave a weak laugh before looking at her again, a smile on his face.

“I’d really like that, honesty. I want to hold you, and I miss the feel of your skin too, which is stupid, since it’s only been what? An hour? Two?” They kissed, and both laughed as they pulled back.

“It’s not stupid to want comfort,  cariño. Lay down.” Kovit did so, and Nita pulled her shirt over her head. She didn’t try to be seductive, but she still heard Kovit’s sharp inhale as her back came into view, and felt the ghost of his touch as he reached out and ran feather light fingers up her spine. Nita bit back a moan at the sensation, and felt her eyes roll back. His hand was so warm. Swallowing hard, she laid the shirt on her pillow before sliding down and settling herself on Kovit’s chest, cuddling as close to him as she could. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and smoothed his hands up her back with a small groan as he dropped a kiss in her hair. Nita whimpered happily at the contact.

“So beautiful Nita.” Kovit said worshipfully, taking a deep breath to try and calm his racing heart. “You are going to be the death of me.” Nita snuggled into his chest.

“After all we’ve been through, and the close calls we’ve had, are you really going to complain if your tombstone reads “Death by sexy girlfriend” Kovit?” He snickered, and held her closely.

“Hell no. If I die by loving you Nita, I’ll make sure I go down in a blaze of glory!” It took all of two seconds for the double meaning to work it’s way through Nita’s tired mind, and her body began to shake as she tried to hold back her giggles. It took a little bit longer for Kovit to follow her trail of thought, but then he groaned and laughed. “Naughty Nita!” Nita’s giggles escaped her.

“You said it!”

“You took it further!” Kovit replied, still laughing as he snuggled her to his chest, running his hands up her back. “You and your big, beautiful, dirty mind.” Nita was still shaking with laughter.

“Is that part of third base?” She asked, setting off Kovit’s chucking again.

“I think so?” Kovit’s voice was unsure, but not uncomfortable. “The guys in the chat never could agree on that. Fuck, Nita, I’m a gamer geek, not a sports jock. And even then, the euphemisms fall apart at some point. We’ll figure it out.” 

“We will, cariño. One day at a time.” Nita dropped a sleepy kiss on Kovit’s chest, and sighed happily, her giggles settling down. “Together.” Kovit stroked her hair softly. “Sweetdreams, cariño.” 

“Sweet dreams, sweetheart,” Kovit whispered, watching as Nita drifted off, her breathing relaxing into an even cadence. He smiled as he lay there for some time, holding his world in his arms as the night deepened around the city. “Sweet dreams.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. 
> 
> That was hard to write. But like I said in the first chapter, this story is dark. This world is dark, our real one and the world that these characters come from, which is based on ours. Humanity is not all light and good. We are duality. We are choices. That's what makes NEB and this series so compelling. Nature vs nurture, free will vs destiny, how much do our surroundings and situations determine who we become? Do we ever escape the cage, or do we just exchange one kind for another?
> 
> My Mom's nickname in our family is Mother Badger, and in the town where I grew up she was known just as The Badger.  
> You see, I love the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, which has a female badger character, and there was a badger family that lived down by the little river/creek that surrounded the tiny town I grew up in. There was a park near the creek, and all the adults would tell us kids to leave the badgers alone when we would go down to play, and if you know how badgers are, you know why. I would never bother them, but there was a little dip in a hill near their den that I could sit in and watch them, and they wouldn't smell me because the hill blocked the wind. So I would watch them live their lives, have their pups, fight off the stray dogs or chase the stupid older kids that would mess with them for fun, all that shit. And let me tell you, the meme of Badger don't give a Fuck is right. Badger DON'T give a Fuck.
> 
> I also experienced much of the same kind of abuse that Nita did growing up, the mental and emotional domination, the isolation, the physical suffering. So did my brother. And the abuse morphed into intimate abuse as we got older. Threats made about each of us, threats made about our mother were used to keep us in line by the male figure in our lives. To keep us silent. My mother was the sole worker, and between her work, the abuse she took from him, thinking if she took on the man's wrath, it would divert it away from us kids and keep us safe, and our silence through the years, she didn't know what was going on until one day he got lazy and too comfortable and fucked up. And when Mom found out what he had been doing to us, the unholy hell she unleashed on that man put him in the hospital for two weeks. I remember the sheriff of our little town came by a few nights later around supper time, looking for Mom, and asked her what happened. Mom said "He touched my kids." The sheriff looked at her and said "-Moms Name-, -Asshole- is in the hospital, and isn't gonna be out for a while. He has a whole laundry list of injuries, including 3 broken ribs. What the hell happened?" I thought the sheriff was going to burst into flames, Mom was glaring at him so hard, and all she said was "He. TOUCHED. My. Kids." The sheriff looked at me, who was 10/11 at the time, and my brother, who was 13, huddled behind my Mom, and back at her, and she nodded, and then she asked. "He still breathing?" When the sheriff nodded, Mom snorted and said. "Well Sheriff, if you don't have a warrant for homicide, then this conversation is over." He stood there for a few minutes, glancing between me and my brother, and then he looked at Mom again and nodded at her, and put his hat back on. He said "Yes ma'am, I do believe it is. I'll make sure the deputies understand the situation, when and IF -Asshole- is released. You kids eat your supper, and brush your teeth. Don't make your Momma have to call me back out here." That made me and my brother laugh, then he told me his granddaughter, who was my friend, would see me at school, nodded to Mom again, and left. So Mom earned her title very well.
> 
> This story is partly for me to process some of the things I've experienced in my life, as I've said before. I've been through therapy, and I have the years and distance now to be able to look back and see how my life, my experiences have helped to shape the person I am now. Should anyone have to go through abuse, No. FUCK NO. Would I be the person I am today if I hadn't? Also no. Do I like who I am? For the most part, yes, because of the choices I made. The RULES I made because of that abuse. Gold's story about the man Kovit supposedly tortured when they were young seemed so at odds with his character, until I began to think about how it might have affected him, how it might have been the reason for his rules on eating sexual pain. And here it is. Things will circle back to this later in the story, healing is a spiraling, never ending, constant work in progress.
> 
> I don't know how long I can keep my update schedule this consistent, since I'm near the end of what I've already written up so far before I started posting, but I do have at least two more chapters before I run out. And they focus on Diana and Adair's back stories, and some more world-building. So you have that to look forward to. Let me know what you think, and as always, blessed be.


	5. What's a Ghoul to Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nita and Diana get some time to girl talk. And Nita learns that the Darkweb is not the only unsavory part of the internet.

When Nita and Kovit wandered downstairs in search of breakfast the next morning, Diana was the one that met them at the door to the shop. The smile she had for them was all Cheshire cat.

“ _ Gooood _ morning you two. Where’re you headed?” Her tone was that of someone with a juicy secret just waiting to be spilled. Nita was instantly suspicious, and narrowed her eyes at the older girl.

“Breakfast….why?” Kovit responded when Nita stayed silent, glaring at the tall, dark skinned girl who was flicking her eyes between them.

“That sounds lovely.” There was a maniacal gleam in Diana’s eyes that set Nita’s nerves on edge, and her voice was too sweet. Diana took Kovit by the elbow and led him to the door, opening it for him while shooting Nita a look that kept her in place. “How about we let the  _ big, strong, male _ go hunting for food while us girls stay here and talk, hmm Nita?” Nita covered her face with both hands as Kovit stumbled onto the top step outside and stared at Diana who began to giggle at Nita’s blush.

“The hell Diana? Are you ok?” he asked, completely confused. She turned her grin to him, and couldn’t stifle her giggles even as she answered.

“Ohhoho, I’m great. I got confirmation that my biggest ship ever, bigger than any anime OTP, set sail at least since last night. It only took you two a year to pull your heads out of your butts and quit torturing all of us.” Kovit turned beet red as Diana began to close the door in his face, and her laugh turned evil “So take your time, and get her something special!” With that, she slammed the door and leaned against it as they listened to Kovit start to curse as he walked away, and Diana cackled with glee. Nita was blushing so hard she felt like she was going to burst into flames, and she turned and stalked towards the register. Diana leapt after her, still laughing.

“Nita, Nita, don’t be mad…”

“I’m going to boil Adair alive!”

“No you’re not!” Diana giggled as she pulled Nita into a hug and spun her around, squealing slightly, “You won’t, because you know, despite our teasing, we are super super happy for you guys!” 

“Get off me, stupid! Why are you happy?” Pushing Diana away, Nita hid her face and her grin by laying her face down on the counter by the register and wrapping her arms around her head. She had never felt so light and bubbly before, and didn’t know how to handle the feeling. Diana still saw the grin and gave her a side hug before rounding the counter and setting down her bag.

“Because it has been absolute hell watching you two circling each other for almost a year, batting away each other’s attempts at getting closer when all either of you wanted was the other!” Diana pulled her long hair into a ponytail as she bent down and dug into her bag, and Nita lifted her head to rest her chin on her arms.

“Watching?! Watching what? It’s not like we’re in one of your animes Diana! We don’t defeat the baddies, kiss, and live happily ever after!” Having lived in the shop for so long and having hung out with the kelpie and ghoul, Nita was very familiar with the habits and hobbies of both. While it was true that Adair made his living dealing in information, and Diana by doing his hacking, they actually shared interests in gaming and television shows that were lodged firmly in the geeky sphere. Kovit had happily dove right in, especially having missed having lots of people to play video games with, and while it had taken Nita a bit longer to get into the groove, she had eventually found a love of magic girl anime that she vehemently denied. Diana popped back up with a couple bottles of water, a half bag of chips, and several cheese sticks.

“Of course not. It’s much worse than that, and much better. Worse because we’re real people who are broken and have to muddle through life trying not to cut each other up with the razor edges of our souls,” Diana handed Nita a bottle and opened hers to take a drink, her eyes sad for a moment before sparkling again. “And better, because when our friends get laid, we get to pump each other for actual details, not fade to black!” Nita choked and sputtered on the water she had just tried to swallow. Diana started in on the chips.

“Oh my god, Diana, NO!” Nita buried her face in her arms again, trying and failing to hold in an embarrassed giggle “I can’t do this!”

“Do what?”

“Girl talk!”

“We talk all the time, well, I talk all the time, but you respond just fine.” Nita’s glare was ruined by her dopey smile, and Diana laughed. “See? Come on! I haven’t gotten any in months, let me live vicariously in a way where I’m not yelling at the T.V.!”

“You’re horrible!”

“You love me.” Nita grabbed the bag of chips, and Diana unwrapped a cheese stick and began to nibble on it. While it was true that ghouls needed fresh flesh to survive, they were able to eat other food as well, and Diana loved cheese. “So, Adair said that you had gotten upset earlier yesterday. So was it hot, angry, make up sex or what?” Nita rolled her eyes and hid behind the chip bag.

“Oh god, no. We haven’t had s-s-sex yet Diana!” Diana raised her eyebrows in disbelief, and Nita pinched her nose. “Seriously, we haven’t. Neither one of us have ever gone all the way with anyone before. We’re not ready for that.” Diana was chewing on a strip of cheese she had pulled from the stick.

“So...last night was…?”

“Heavy petting…? I think? And amazing...” Diana giggled at the blissful look that crossed Nita’s face, and shook her head, tossing the rest of the strip of cheese into her maw.

“Alright, back up. Start from when you got upset. You don’t have to go into minute detail, but I am seriously intrigued here.” Nita sighed and grabbed a stick of cheese for herself.

“It’s complicated.”

“Try.”

“I’m not getting out of this am I” Diana shook her head with an evil grin, and Nita sighed again. “So you know how we’ve been having a pest problem here in the shop?”

“The ones with the skimpy tops that browse but never really want to buy? Yeah?” Nita nodded and took a bite.

“Well, that was part of it. There were some women in here yesterday, and one was at the counter when Kovit came in. She tried to flirt with him, and fled when it failed horribly. The other women were still circling like vultures though.” Diana grimaced in sympathy.

“They don’t know him though Nita. Kovit has no interest in them.”

“I know that. Which only makes it worse. None of them saw  _ HIM _ , Diana,” Nita fiddled with the wrapper on the counter and looked up into her friends eyes squarely. “They feel the danger that comes from his hunger for pain, it excites them, but they don’t  _ see _ what it  _ costs _ HIM. They don’t see him fighting the pain that it causes him when he doesn’t eat. They didn’t see it yesterday! And that was just the physical pain.” Diana had tears in her eyes, and Nita rubbed her hand as phantom pain flared in her fingers. 

“Nita…” Diana whispered

“He’s been used and thrown away so many times Diana. Too much a monster to be loved, to be seen as a man, a person worth caring for. But having too many rules to be an effective, precision tool; Like using a meat cleaver when you need a scalpel. But he’s what they had, so they accepted the less than perfect option to get the job done and then tossed him away into a dark corner to sit dirty and forgotten until they needed him again. Until he was  _ convenient _ . And Kovit accepted that as a substitute for love. From his mother, The Family, his online friends...” Nita looked away from Diana as a tear escaped from her eye and she whispered softly “From  _ me _ ” Diana gripped her wrist hard enough that Nita winced

“You _ brought down _ the DUL for Kovit, Nita! You did something that no one has been able to do for 20 some years, and took INHUP to its  _ KNEES _ !!”

“And I still hurt him, Diana! I was pushing Kovit to kill the man who was like a father to him, when he never wanted to. I didn’t respect his rules, his limits. I didn’t respect HIM! And I pushed him away because I hurt him. And it ended up hurting him even more when Henry betrayed him anyways and came after me too. It almost broke Kovit.” They were quiet for a few moments, reflecting on the things Kovit had been through.

“So that’s over now then, right?” Diana held Nita’s hands between her own, rubbing them gently, and Nita nodded slowly 

“Kovit is still dealing with the grief, he always will. Like you’ve said before Di, we have to do shitty stuff to survive. But these women… they’re just another group that wants to use Kovit as a means to an end and throw him away again. Who among them can understand him?”

“None of them, probably. Or at least, very few. Hell, I don’t think I could, not the way you do.” Diana gave Nita a small smile and squeezed her hands before going back and opening up another cheese stick “But that’s why you don’t have to worry about them so much. They don’t matter, because Kovit has you to love him.”

“But I..”

“Have you fucked up before? Yes. Will you again? More than likely, we are, after all, mere mortals. But we work through our fuck ups.”

“How do I know I’m not just like those other women who want to use him though? Neither one of us were interested in all this sex stuff before, so what has changed?” Diana threw the half opened cheese down with a huff

“Oh my god. Okay, look. If this  _ was  _ an anime, everytime Kovit was around you, you’d be floating on little angel wings with little heart bubbles popping out of your eyes and a rainbow shooting out of your ass, alright?” Diana fluttered her hands near her shoulders with such a deadpan look on her face, Nita couldn’t help but laugh. “Kovit, on the other hand, tracks your movements and follows you every damn place like a puppy dog, and the look in his eyes when he watches you when you’re not looking is so pure milk chocolate, we could supply the world with a fondue fountain and never run out! But the second either one of you feels like someone has caught on, you go on the defensive, and backtrack! Why do you think I’ve been losing my fucking mind for the past year over you two? For fucks sake Nita, you blew your mother up. With a bomb! To keep him safe.”

“But I seriously never really cared about sex or guys before!”

“Did you ever have much interaction with any?” The question pulled Nita up short, and she winced sharply.

“Before Kovit? The only other boy I ever had an actual conversation with was Fabricio. And you know how those went.”

“Yes, the botched murder attempts. I’m aware. That probably has something to do with it then. Nita, you went through hellish shit with Kovit. You have an immense trust with him. You two have had fights and forgiveness that would break 99.9% of couples. The fact that you care so much about him and his well being is a fairly good showcase that it’s love, not just lust. It _is_ okay for lust to not come first in a relationship. In fact, isn’t the common advice for a relationship to be built on trust and respect and all that shit, and NOT to follow the lust train right away?” Diana pointed out, and Nita blushed and fidgeted, before reluctantly nodding her head in agreement. “Well, with that being said, it’s not a bad thing to find the person you care for attractive. And honestly Nita, Kovit is H-O-T. Oh don’t look at me like that,” Diana giggled as Nita crossed her arms and pouted, and she picked up her cheese again to finish opening it. “I may as well be an alien species as far as Kovit is concerned. But you can not stand there and tell me that that man’s shoulders wouldn’t make a nun cream her habit…!” 

“Oh my god Diana!!” Nita covered her face and blushed, while the ghoul grinned and raised her eyebrows.

“And he seems partial to those really tight black tee shirts that show off his muscles. Although since you live with him, I’ll guess you’ve seen him without a shirt, hmm? Maybe after his showers?” Nita squeaked and started to giggle as she waved her hands at Diana, trying to shush her, and the dark haired girl laughed. “With his dark hair all wet and slicked back, dripping water that glides down, down down..?” 

“He’s been doing it on purpose!!” Nita wailed in embarrassment, and hid her face on the counter again, laughing helplessly, as Diana bounced with excitement. 

“OOOHH, tell me, tell meeee!!”

“Apparently at the end of the year he really did forget to take a shirt in with him to change into, and the mirror was too fogged up to use, so he cracked the door open to air it off, and he caught me staring…So he admitted to taking longer to get ready and making excuses to not wear a shirt to bed… and to leaving the door cracked after putting on pants to see if I would peek…” Diana cackled

“AH! He was teasing you this whole time!”

“I was trying not to look! I felt like a pervert!”

“Oh honey, if he didn’t like it, he would have said something or else closed the door. I know him and you both well enough to be fairly certain of that. He was interested, and trying to gauge your interest! Augh!” Diana let out a squeal and wiggled back and forth happily. “Such a tease! And if he’s been going to bed shirtless, good god girl, how have you held out this long without being all over that? MMMM!”

“I don’t know?! I mean, we end up snuggled up against each other in our sleep, or if one of us has bad dreams, we’ll hold each other, but it’s not, it’s never been, explicit before…” Nita said with a slight whine in her voice, and Diana sighed with longing, her eyes dreamy.

“You’ve touched Adonis...the alabaster statue has come to life under your hands to become man…”

“Is that poetry or something?” Nita asked with a giggle, and Diana smirked, shaking her head.

“No clue. Sounded good though. But damn, Nita, getting to touch...yum.” and then she made grabbing motions with her hands and Nita snorted.

“What is your obsession with shoulders?”

“Because they’re strong, and feel good to hold onto when a guy is holding you, or when you’re on top, and it’s fun to scratch at them and bite them.” Diana replied with a low laugh, and Nita had to look away while she blushed. Her hand crept up to the spot on her neck that Kovit bit the night before, and she couldn’t help but remember the feeling. The motion was not missed by Diana. “Nita…” her tone was teasing again. “Why do I get the feeling I didn’t need to explain that?” Nita covered her eyes with one hand and pulled the collar of her shirt down and to the side. Diana squealed loudly when she saw the large hickey nestled on Nita’s collarbone. “Oh my god girl!!! Yes!!!!”

“How can you be this excited for me?” Nita asked with a laugh, keeping her face covered. “I got my first hickey, it’s not like I lost my virginity.” 

“From what Adair said it sounded like last night, I'm not so sure. He said the two of you got loud enough to scare away some of the pests.” Nita stared at Diana in shock as the dark girl beamed back at her knowingly and wiggled her eyebrows.

“He told you everything?” Nita squeaked.

“Mmhm. Apparently the vultures weren’t scared off by the failure of one of theirs, and had hung around. Then there was some yelling that got them all excited. Until it became apparent that Kovit left to calm you down, not to fight with you. Well, maybe calm isn’t the best word to use, certainly wasn’t the word Adair used to describe the noises coming from behind the door,” Diana chuckled and dug into the chips again after taking a drink, and Nita buried her head against the glass, trying to cool the flush that she was pretty sure was going to be permanent. “Most left after that, but there was one who was back for the big finale, I guess someone had to come get items?”

“Oh god, kill me…” Nita whispered.

“Why? Assert the dominance. Leaving your competition alive to be in awe of your prowess is better than a wake of destruction anyways. Though I have to wonder what this will do on the forums…” 

“What?” Nita asked as Diana trailed off in thought.

“Nothing. So hot necking and heavy petting huh? Not a bad first time with a guy, not if he cared enough to satisfy you, rather than just his own needs.”

“Oh god no. Kovit was, oh I don’t know how to explain it Diana…” Nita’s eyes began to shine as she giggled, and she had to close them as she curled her arms around her chest. “Like, before, whenever I had the urge back before I met Kovit and everyone, it was boredom, an itch to scratch, stress relief you know. It was never, anything.” Nita opened her eyes to see Diana hanging onto her every word, and as odd as it was for her, Nita felt free talking about it for some reason. “But last night, Kovit was so worried about me, I was so upset, even after talking to Darico, and so worried about him because he hadn’t eaten pain in  _ forever  _ it felt like and he was  _ sooo _ hungry, and hurting, and everything was all tangled up, wanting to help him and please him and myself.” Nita rubbed her fingers again and Diana’s eyes went wide.

“ _ You _ gave him pain to eat?” she whispered, awe in her voice. Nita bit her lip and her smile was a little bit crazy.

“When I turn off my pain receptors and reactivate them, the pain is excruciatingly exquisite,” Nita said slowly, her voice soft, her eyes lost in the memories of the night before. Diana almost couldn’t draw a breath. “And zannies not only eat pain to survive, but it gives them pleasure. Kovit had gone so long without eating that it was starting to hurt him, to make him sick, but I was able to give him enough to fill him up using just my hand, Diana.” Nita closed her eyes and touched her lips softly, her head tilted. “Then he was kissing me, begging to know how to make me feel good, and I couldn’t help it, I pulled off my shirt, and he was touching me and kissing my neck and my chest and when I came that first time it was better than anything I had ever had before…”

“First time…” Diana choked out, and Nita giggled breathlessly as her friend pounded her head against the counter gently. “Oh god you’re killing me Nita!

“You asked for it! We hadn’t even gotten our pants undone yet.”

“Holy shit, one just from boob play! Had he…?”

“No. Oh Diana, Kovit has so much control. Control is everything to him. I don’t think he has ever cum from eating pain, I don’t fully understand how all his rules work, but he was so scared of hurting me he made me promise to kill him if he went too far or lost control and tried to hurt me.”

“Oh my god, Nita!!”

“And then I was touching him, and he was touching me, and I don’t think there are words to describe it Diana!” Nita bit her knuckle while Diana squealed and hopped in place “And Kovit told me it was my touch that finished him, n-not my pain. That it was me that made him cum. How am I supposed to deal with that?” Diana rushed around the counter, the bag of chips forgotten, to hug Nita tightly, and they laughed.

“You feel like the powerful sexy goddess that you are Nita, that’s how you deal with it. Oh, this is what I’ve waited for. Oh my god, I’m so happy for you!!” Diana let her go to dance around in circles, and Nita clutched at her stomach as she laughed.

“Well, he told me that later, after we cleaned up and had something to eat anyway. In that particular moment was when I got my hickey and apparently came so hard I blacked out for a bit and scared Kovit. Pretty sure that was when I scared away the customer too, since I screamed and Adair sent me text messages.” Diana paused in her dancing to look at Nita, scandalized.

“Adair sent you text messages immediately?  _ While _ you were experiencing  _ la petite mort _ ? I will have to knock some sense into his head, the ass!” She went back to her dancing while Nita leaned against the counter.

“Little death?” 

“YU-P” Diana said with a pop, and laughed as she went back around the counter and grabbed another bottle of water and chugged it. “That’s what it’s called when that happens. God I need to get laid. Course, not that I’ve had a guy that’s given me  _ la petite mort _ in forever, but the Bob’s not cutting it.” Nita raised her eyebrows and Diana shook her head with another laugh. “Nevermind, I’m fine. Like I said, it’s been a while, but I got my anime, and now, I can be happy that two of my best friends are no longer miserable.”

“I don’t know why it would be a while for you. I would think you’d have guys lining up around the block, especially with how beautiful you are Diana.” The darker girl placed another bottle of water close to Nita while she opened more cheese sticks. Diana smirked with self depreciation.

“Thanks, but really, most guys get the feeling that something is off about me. That there's something not “normal” about me.” Diana said with air quotes, and she laughed when Nita looked at her in puzzlement, before unhooking her retainer to show off her small sharp teeth. “Every guy's worst nightmare, a girl capable of biting his junk off during oral.” Nita’s jaw dropped in outrage.

“Any normal human has the capability to do that, that’s jaw strength not teeth shape!”

“But ghouls “have” to eat human flesh right? It’s not like we can control ourselves.” Diana’s voice was bitter and her eyes sad as she dug out a few more chips from near the bottom of the bag. “My boyfriend at the time before I came to Toronto had never seen me without my retainer, but it broke, and I couldn’t afford a new one. We’d been together for about 2, maybe 3 months, so things were still hot and heavy, which is partly why the retainer broke. I’m not supposed to keep it in when doing stuff like that, and he liked the biting and being rough with oral, and the retainer was a bit old anyways. So when I suddenly pulled back from those things, at first he was pissed, thinking I was cheating. But when I showed him who I was, it was so much worse.”

Nita took a sip of water and covered Diana’s hand with hers. “What happened?”

“He tried to pretend everything was ok, but he could barely stand to hold my hand, let alone touch me anywhere else. There was one night I spilled something off the coffee table and I knelt down to clean it up, and he said something, I looked up to answer, and I guess our positions were suggestive in his mind even though we had stopped anything like that for a while by then, and he went off on me. Started screaming and yelling about how I was going to end up killing him one day and I needed to leave. So I packed what little I had left at his place and left. Didn’t even answer him when he tried calling for the rest of the night, and I ended up leaving town about a week later when he kept showing up at my work begging for me to forgive him. That everything would be ok once I got “real” teeth again.”

“Bastard!” Nita hissed angrily, “Should have bitten it off on principle then.” Diana grinned and chuckled darkly.

“Oh, he wasn’t the one that said that. That was a playboy at a school I attended once. Not here. The highschool I told you about. Some bigshot jock that thought he was all that because he could catch a football and run and the cheerleaders would jump and shake their asses for him and a different one would lift her skirt for him every week. Him and his buddies were sitting in the lunchroom with their flavor of the day, being crude and disgusting and I was walking by to my table when they started to heckle me like always. Maybe I made a face at their behavior, or more likely they just wanted to be cruel, cause one of the girls made the comment that I looked jealous as I was walking by to my “lonely” table. That started them laughing that I would never have a boyfriend, because who would want me? The guys worst nightmare etc. She’s not even a girl, she’s a ghoul, blah blah blah. Then the jokes on how much they would have to pay each other to take me on a date. I was finished with my food by that time and had to walk by them again to drop off my tray and head to my next class.”

“Oh god,” Nita hung her head for a moment before pushing her hair out of her face and looking at Diana again. “What did they do?”

“Big shot grabbed my arm, then made the whole ghouls “have” to eat flesh comment, and asked if I would even be able to control myself from taking a chomp if I ever had one of his guys in my reach.”

“You have to be fucking kidding me!”

“Nope. I’d had enough by then, so I looked him in the eye and told him that he was in my reach right then and there, but since he’d been in and out of so many holes, I’d be surprised if he wasn’t putrid at that point, and ghouls needed fresh meat for our food to be appetizing. I looked around at his friends and then said that between all of them, they wouldn’t have enough meat to make an appetizer, let alone a meal, and if they bothered me again, I would prove it to them. Then I peeled big shots fingers off my arm, and walked out of the lunchroom. Pretty sure I sprained his wrist, since he didn’t play in the next game we had before I left.” Diana tossed the chips she held back into the bag and scrunched the bag down, then brushed crumbs off her hands. Nita balled the bag up and tossed it into the wastebasket near the door as Diana took another drink of water. 

“Pretty badass threat for someone that doesn’t like violence though.” Nita said softly as the foil ball swooshed into the wire basket “And the burn was pretty good too.” Diana grinned.

“I thought so. I was bluffing of course. The only reason I ended up spraining the asshole’s wrist is because ghouls are naturally stronger than humans, and I had already had my fill of the crap with the janitor. I heard that he and his friends wanted to teach me a lesson, after I hurt their pride, so I decided that I was just going to disappear. And that’s what I did.” Diana wiped her eyes and twisted the cap of her water off and on a few times. “Made my way back to Seattle. Took a few years. Found the kid that killed my family, saw that he was a person, and then, well, you know.” Nita nodded, remembering what Diana had told her about the boy that had shot her parents, and Diana sighed heavily, folding her arms on the counter before resting her chin on them, her long dark hair pooling next to her. “I decided I wanted to try and make a life. Got a job, found a couple of boyfriends, though none ever lasted very long. It’s hard when you are so much stronger than them, when you can hurt them so easily…” Diana trailed off, her eyes distant as she walked through her memories.

“How did you meet Adair?” Nita asked gently, poking her empty water bottle, and Diana’s lips curled into a smile.

“It was just before my retainer broke actually. And probably why Travis thought I was cheating on him. Adair was in Seattle, gathering information for a client. I worked in a small grocery chain, not far from where he was staying, usually evening shift, and he would come in 2, 3 times a week, sometimes more, for ice cream. Cones, tubs, fruit pops, didn’t matter. With Adair in town, we couldn’t keep it in stock, though he prefers vanilla soft serve. After the first couple of times seeing him empty the shelves of the vanilla tubs, since I had to restock them, I teased him that he needed variety in his diet. And he gave me that smile of his, you know the one.” Diana blushed, and Nita grinned, raising an eyebrow.

“The one with far too many sharp teeth? The one that flickers?” Diana giggled and blushed harder.

“Yeah...that one. Well, after that, Adair would get different stuff, and if I was working, he’d make sure to take the time to stop and say hello, and ask if he had enough variety. I’d check his basket and we’d joke about what he’d picked out that day, and I’d comment that he needed to buy real food, not just sweets, and he’d say that he got his food from specialty shops since he had, as he put it “Special dietary needs.””

“Bullshit!” Nita exclaimed with a snort, and Diana laughed and nodded.

“Swear to God Nita, no lie. I called bullshit too, since he was buying ice cream, but he said that it didn’t conflict with his diet and it was cheaper to get at a regular store. I made sure he knew I didn’t buy it, but it was all part of the fun. It was nice having a regular that spoke to me as a person. One night Travis came in to see me for my lunch break and saw us chatting, and he took that as evidence that I was cheating on him. He almost tried to start a fight with Adair right there in the aisle, and I had to drag him outside and away from all the other patrons so I could explain to him that I wasn’t cheating on him, I was a ghoul and my fake teeth had broken, and that’s why our sex life had taken a dive. Then I made him go home so I could finish my shift, and I’m pretty sure my manager would’ve fired me right then if Adair hadn’t have stopped him.” Nita groaned

“Why do guys have to be assholes?” she asked, squeezing the air out of the empty water bottle.

“I think the real question is, why do guys, at all?” Diana said in reply, and they laughed.

“Shoulders?” Nita asked slyly, and Diana grinned.

“Sure, we’ll go with that for now. Anyway, like I said, the next few weeks were shitty. Travis couldn’t stand the sight of me. My boss was rightly pissed that my boyfriend tried to assault a customer. There was one night I was stocking in the meat department, and when I was done, I remember I was standing there, hungry, staring at all those packages of beef and chicken and fish, and all I could think of was, why me? I’m a carnivore, and I’m surrounded by meat. Why can’t this be enough? Why can’t I be normal? Then I heard him speak. I guess Adair had been standing in the aisle for a bit, watching me. And he said “It won’t work Diana.” Startled me so bad I must have jumped about six feet in the air, and when I looked over, he was standing there, hands loose at his sides, for the first time, no ice cream or basket or anything. I think that scared me almost as badly as the sadness in his eyes. I asked him what he meant, and he said “That meat won’t make your hunger go away, and we both know it. Don’t let anyone make you feel less than just because you are what nature made you as.” And he let his glamour fade, just enough that I could see his real teeth and eyes, and they were still so sad, before putting it back up and turning to walk away. Before he left though, he finished by telling me “My work here in Seattle is almost done, so I’ll be gone in about a week or so. If someone can’t respect you for who you are, you don’t need them in your life, and they don’t deserve you in theirs.” And then he was gone. I’d never felt so elated and empty, so seen or so alone at the same time.” 

“Wait wait wait...He just fucking left?” Nita gasped as her heart twisted, and Diana wiped her eyes and swallowed hard before nodding.

“Didn’t even buy any ice cream.” her voice was low and ironic. “I was sure I would see him the next day, or the day after that, but no. I had the fight with Travis, and he spent the next week being kicked out of my work by my boss, who told me if it kept happening, I would be fired. I took 3 days off, and on my next day back, sure as shit, Travis was there, pestering me while I tried to do my job, and the boss was yelling at both of us, and then...suddenly…” Diana had to clear her throat several times, and Nita held her hands out to the older girl, who took them and squeezed them tightly, trying not to cry. “Suddenly, there he was, hauling Travis out of the store and throwing him on his ass to the curb, and growling at my boss to shut the fuck up and to quit yelling at me for some dumbfucks stupidity. Then he told me his train was leaving for Toronto the next morning, and all I could do was ask him to take me with him. He was shocked, but said yes, and made my boss pay me from the till. I packed what stuff I couldn’t bear to leave behind, not that I had much, left my key taped to a note under my landlady’s door, and we left.” 

“How are you two not together then?” Nita pulled on her hair in frustration, and Diana gave a watery chuckle.

“See how it feels? You have two  _ almost  _ perfect puzzle pieces, but no matter what you do, they  _ just  _ keep slipping out of alignment…”

“Diana!! Come on! I asked Adair about it once, but he evaded the question and said that it was friendship, even though I felt like there was something more there. Though in a way I guess I was more asking as a way to try and figure out what I felt for Kovit, but that’s besides the point…”

“Of course Adair throws a wrench into my ship, the bastard!”

“Di, this was the first time we came here, when I  _ first  _ met the two of you, so stop that. But seriously, if you get to pry into me and Kovit, why aren’t you and Adair together?” Nita laughed, and Diana blushed.

“Oh god, Nita, I want us to be, but we can’t. I tried,” Diana let out a soft whine and closed her eyes before covering her face with her hands. Nita gaped at her.

“You tried?” Nita whispered, and Diana nodded.

“I was living here, in the upstairs room. It had been a few months after we got here, and Adair was working on getting me a new identity and I was waiting to hear back from the University. I suggested that we go for a walk and get some ice cream, since we had been cooped up all day and Adair was getting irritated with something he was working on, and that always makes his temperature fluctuate. So we went out, got some soft serve, went walking on the beach. We were chatting and joking, and Adair made a comment about going for a swim.” Nita rolled her eyes.

“You did know by then he was a kelpie, right?”

“Of course I did Nita! I’d been living here and working with him for months, we’d been to the morgues together to get meat for the both of us! I’d seen him lower his glamour when he needed to intimidate clients. I knew what he was!”

“Sorry! Kovit just said he suggested something similar the first time they met, and it’s a joke he likes to pull on people…” Nita put her hands up in the air in surrender, and Diana shoved her face into her hands in exasperation before pulling them down and making a weird face at Nita.

“I know! I know! That’s part of the problem... I’m attracted to his particular flavor of smartass. Savory for the most part, but a sweet undertone that cuts through the bitterness when you least expect it. Augh!!” Diana began to chew on her bottle cap, and Nita giggled at the comparison. “I told him I was game for a swim.”

“What! It had to have been absolutely freezing!?!”

“So? Ghoul body temperature runs higher than humans, and I had a particular fantasy about doing naughty things to him in the water that had me even hotter that night. The cold never bothered me anyways!” Diana stuck her tongue out at Nita as she groaned.

“Oh let it go Diana!” Nita muttered painfully, and they laughed. Diana turned thoughtful after a few moments.

“He really didn’t expect any of my reactions that night. Adair got really quiet, so I took that as a signal to kiss him, and he went stiff as a board. When I pulled away, he looked almost terrified, and my heart sank. I was expecting harsh words about being a ghoul again…”

“But he’s a kelpie…”

“Yeah, and that turns out to be what the sticking points were about.”

“What do you mean?” Nita asked, and Diana sighed

“Adair’s hang ups were about him, not me. He stepped back into the water and let his glamour down, down to his waist. It was the first time I had seen so much of him exposed at once.” Nita thought back to when she had poured boiling water on Adair, and shivered slightly. Black scaly skin covering strong lean muscles. Diana really had a point about shoulders.

“You wouldn’t have to worry about hurting him if you nibbled or scratched his shoulders, what with his scales…” Nita mused out loud, and Diana’s eyes brightened.

“Thank you!!!! I knew I couldn’t be the only one who would think that! But _noooo_ , he was trying to prove that I should be afraid of him, that we were too different, biologically and physiologically incompatible” Diana groused and kicked her foot at the counter in a pout, while Nita scrunched up her face in confusion.

“Adair is human size though. I’ve never heard of cross breeding, so yeah, biologically, you can’t have kids, but physiologically incompatible? I don’t buy that. His glamour is made up of the mucus he secretes from his skin right? And that includes his clothes?” Diana nodded, frustrated, and Nita tilted her head back, thinking. “Well then, he doesn’t have a thick covering to hide much. So either he’s average for a humanoid, it’s internal, or it’s a different reproductive system.”

“It’s internal.” Diana whimpered, her eyes closed, and Nita gave her a look of dreadful curiosity when she opened them. “You really did a number on his system when you poured boiling water on him Nita. Adair can’t sweat or anything like that, so when everything inside was overheating what things  _ could  _ move out did until things inside stabilized.” Nita cringed, and she cringed hard. She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but it betrayed her anyways.

“So when I…”

“Uh huh”

“And he was curled up…”

“Mmmhmm”

“Not just to protect his face…”

“Nope…”

“And you saw….”

“Indeed…”

“Because he was....”

“Popped out like a weasel...or a crocodile in this case…” Nita clapped her hands over her mouth as a mortified high pitched squeal escaped her, and Diana blushed darkly, the two girls staring at each other with round eyes. 

“How am I not  _ dead _ ?” Nita whispered when she could speak again, and Diana laughed, and ran a hand through her hair shakily.

“Adair was very mad, not gonna lie Nita. Very, very, very mad. But he doesn’t do vengeance. And really, I didn’t make a scene about it, so Adair was willing to put it aside.”

“Fuck, I made you go through that with a guy that turned you down! I’m a shit friend Di! How do I keep doing this?!?”

“You didn’t  _ know  _ Nita. And my friendship with Adair is more precious to me than any sexual tension we may feel. If it was just the physical, sexual hang ups, we could’ve gotten past that.” Diana leaned on the counter and kicked up her heels, her sneakers squeaking as they left the floor. “Like I said, he thought showing me his real kelpie self would deter my interest, but instead, well,  _ yeah _ ...you’ve seen some of my anime collection…” Nita giggled.

“You mean the porn?”

“Anime!” Diana declared, indignant.

“Orifices get filled with things Diana. It’s  _ porn _ .” Nita pointed out, and Diana’s shoulders sagged.

“It borders on hentai…” she muttered sourly.

“Which is the Japanese word  _ for _ ?” Nita led her teasingly.

“Fine, it’s porn,” Diana conceded with a laugh, “I made all those points to Adair. Well, minus the internal/external one, since I didn’t know it at the time, obviously. And my own excitement was obvious when I tried to move closer to him. But, he still turned me down.”

“Why though? It’s so obvious he cares about you, I don’t get it?” Nita picked up her water bottle again, just to have something to keep her hands busy. It hurt to hear the longing in Diana’s voice and to see the pain on her face.

“Because kelpies mate for life. Adair does have feelings for me, and it hurts him because he can’t separate them from the feelings he still has for the mate he lost 15 years ago.” Nita felt like she had been punched in the gut, and all the air had been sucked from her lungs. Adair had been married, and lost his wife. No one knew for sure how long kelpies lived. To be without the person who made you whole for 15 years. Nita had killed her mother, Monica, when she had shot Kovit, because Nita couldn’t face the bleak, yawning, emptiness that had opened up inside her soul at the thought of losing him without  _ some  _ sort of closure; some way of knowing that Monica wouldn’t be able to do such a thing to her again. Nita couldn’t return to being Monica’s convenient tool. Nita looked into Diana’s tear filled eyes and shuddered, fully able to imagine Adair’s pain. 15 plus years of living with Kovit’s ghost. It was possible. With her healing abilities, Monica had been well into her eighties, and barely aged into her thirties. And that was all Nita knew for sure, based on INHUP’s inception records. Nita could do the same. When Kovit was gone, how long would Nita endure, how long would her soul lie empty and wasted, until someone new sparked life into her again? And could she ever see their face, hear their voice, without Kovit’s being there?

“Oh god, Diana,” Nita grabbed her friend’s hands and held them tightly, tears slipping from her eyes. “I’m so sorry” Diana shook her head.

“Don’t be.” She whispered softly, letting her own tears go. “Our men feel great pain because they are capable of great love Nita." Nita drew in a shuddering breath, thinking about Kovit's heaving sobs from the night before. That was too private to share. Diana was still speaking "And I love Adair for his pain and his love for his wife, for his rules and his sarcasm and his wit and his fairness. You can’t love someone in their light without loving them in their darkness. And I love his wife too. She helped shape who Adair is, she is a part of him, and I don’t want to make him let her go. If he sees a part of her in me? Maybe that means I really am someone worth loving.” Diana shrugged her shoulders.

“Of course you are Diana! Of all of us, you’re probably the one worth loving the most.” Nita was trying her best not to sob, and Diana’s small smile looked cracked and broken. “Where does that leave you though? Waiting for him?” Diana looked down and shook her head.

“No. I respect Adair too much to put that kind of pressure on him. And like I said, our friendship is too precious to me to be thrown away just because I can’t have sex with him. It’s not easy by any means.” Diana pulled her hair out of it’s ponytail to redo it. “We’ve had a couple of fights over it, my last date a few months ago went really bad and I got really drunk. Adair came and got me, made sure I got home safe.” 

“Oh no…” Nita fiddled with the last cheese stick, and Diana smiled wryly.

“Yeah. Adair tries hard not to get upset when I have dates. He’s the one that tells me I need to go and socialize, that I need to live while I’m young, but I can tell. I still try, but, no one really holds my interest, you know?” Setting the elastic firmly, Diana leaned on the counter again, kicking her heels up alternatively. “I think the longest guy lasted maybe 5 dates? And that was 2 months after Adair turned me down? Maybe? And it was  _ so  _ hard, living here, the morning after awkwardness if the guy didn’t skip out in the middle of the night. I honestly don’t know which was worse. Having my own place is a little better, being able to separate those things now. But it doesn’t really matter, you know?” Diana’s voice was thoughtful, not so full of pain, and Nita was able to look at her without wanting to cry. “None of them are Adair. None of them can drive me absolutely batshit crazy one second, and then turn around and be so sincerely sweet and make me melt the next. None of them are my best friend. I don’t hide that I’m a ghoul anymore, but none of them see  _ me _ the way Adair does.” Nita nodded with understanding.

“The way I see Kovit. The way he sees me. The person and the monster.” Diana smiled and nodded along with Nita.

“The light and the dark. The shattered pieces of our souls that we’ve picked up and glued back together with our tears and our blood when we’ve cut ourselves against the razor edges. None of them are  _ interested  _ in seeing that, not really. Helpful hint, never rule 34 search yourself or your “species” online.”

“Rule 34?” Nita asked with trepidation. Diana gave a barking laugh.

“If it exists in the world, there is smut of some kind about it somewhere online. Which leads to rule 35 of the internet, if the smut doesn’t exist  _ yet _ , it must be created.” Nita stared at Diana silently for a moment, and Diana simply waited. She didn’t have to wait long.

“Are you telling me, there’s  _ smut? _ Of me? Online?”

“Ask me no hard questions, I’ll tell you no sweet lies, dear Nita.”

“WHY THOUGH? All I can do is heal?” Diana grabbed the cheese stick from Nita’s hand with a laugh.

“And blow people up, and dissect people, and bring an international police force to its knees when they threaten your boyfriend, and lure black market hunters to your location to kill them. You’re as dangerous as Kovit in your own way, just as famous, and guys like bad girls just as much as girls like bad boys Nita. Plus I’m not the only one who thinks you and Kovit look good together.” Diana opened the wrapper and waved the cheese at her friend, who had gone slightly pale.

“What?” Nita’s voice was panicked, and Diana grinned evilly.

“Uh-huh. You’re a Spanish bombshell Nita, and Kovit, well, he’s all Thai curry with spice that bites back. Ever since the trials, the gossip rags have been pretty evenly split trying to decide if you are his plaything, or if he’s yours.” Nita’s eyes narrowed, and Diana patted her hand. “ _ Don’t _ get all worked up about it. WE know better. That’s what matters. If it makes you feel any better, guess what the top searches on ghouls are when it comes to that sort of stuff.”

“I couldn’t even start.” Nita tried to snatch the cheese back, and Diana pulled it back.

“Necrophilia. Followed by Vore.” Nita gagged and Diana laughed, throwing her head back. “I know right? I want to  _ get  _ boned, not find food with benefits. Gauh.” Diana shook her head, and Nita was reminded of Kovit’s reaction to her “friends not food” comment.

“And the other one?” Nita asked with horrified curiosity, and Diana gave her a bemused look.

“Being swallowed alive by someone or something else. And not always escaping.” Diana opened her mouth wide, sticking her tongue out and sliding the cheese stick in slowly in an obscene way before biting off a large chunk with a snap of her sharp teeth. Nita’s jaw dropped for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

“And people get off to that?” She said in a mortified whisper, a blush heating her cheeks. Diana nodded.

“People get off to lots of stuff Nita. That’s why gossip rags, anime, romance movies and novels, all that, and fan fiction that continues where authors and producers left off exist. Hell, people ship characters and people together that have never and  _ can  _ never meet.”

“Like when tv series do cross over episodes with another series, even when they don’t exist in the same universes.”

“Yup.” Diana took another, smaller bite, and looked smug.

“But with  _ porn _ ?”

“ _ Yes _ Nita. Whether it’s a drawing, a story, whatever.” Diana laughed as she watched all the conflicting emotions play out across her friend’s face. “You’ll live. Again, just do yourself a favor, and  _ don’t  _ go looking for them. You think you know the darkest pits of the internet because you’ve been on the darkweb, well, believe me, some of the stuff people come up with on fan fiction sites make that look like a walk in the park.” 

“Stories?  _ Pictures _ ? About me and Kovit?” Nita squeaked, and hid behind her hands when Diana giggled.

“Nita, there are things about Disney and Pixar characters for god’s sake. And not just the human ones either. Mrs Potts and Coggsworth from Beauty and the Beast while they were still enchanted; what other  _ attributes  _ Stitch might have; the smorgasbord of dirty jokes literally stuffed into Toy Story. And don’t even get me started on the bunny hole jokes that exist because of Zootopia.” Diana threw away the empty wrappers and water bottles while she let Nita process this new aspect of her fame, and then pulled out her laptop from her bag, setting it on the counter and bending back down for the power cord. Nita shuddered and shoved the unsavory thoughts away.

“So all this leaves you where then Diana? I don’t want you to be miserable and rub it in your face with how happy I am.” Nita leaned forward and shifted from side to side as she watched her friend stand back up and flip her dark hair back over her shoulder.

“Nope, nope, nope. None of that!” Diana shook her finger in Nita’s face, almost hitting her nose, and Nita flinched back. “You are not rubbing my face in your happiness. I am  _ genuinely  _ ecstatic for you and Kovit. I love my life. I’m getting my programming degree that I’ve always wanted, I have great friends who are happy and I can game and gossip and watch stuff and share things with. I don’t  _ need  _ to tie myself down and settle for less than what makes me happy, and all the other guys I’ve tried going out with don’t cut it Nita. So right now it’s ok if I’m in love with my best friend, and he’s not available and  _ won’t  _ ever be available. Adair still treats me with respect and love. We toe the lines of each other’s boundaries, and if we start to push them, we give each other space.”

“And that doesn’t make you miserable?” Nita asked as Diana gave her the plug end of the power cord, and she hunted down the outlet for her before plugging it in.

“It makes me  _ itchy _ , not miserable. And if the itch gets too bad, I find a date and scratch it, which in turn makes Adair itchy. And I’m petty enough to admit that knowing that gives me a little bit of guilty satisfaction.” Nita nodded in understanding as she walked back to the counter and Diana turned on the laptop “Otherwise, I have my ships that I root for, anime and otherwise…” Diana grinned at Nita’s blush.

“And I suppose you are going to want to be kept updated, hmm?” Nita asked, and she couldn’t fight back her own grin.

“Maayybee…” Diana giggled, and Nita joined her “Can you blame me? You two are perfectly psychotic for each other! And Nita, Kovit is  _ hot _ !” Diana rolled her eyes and fanned herself with a hand as Nita laughed.

“I suppose. This girl talk  _ is  _ kinda fun, and I honestly have no idea what I’m doing. And it would be hypocritical of me to get mad at you for daydreaming of Kovit’s shoulders if I’m gonna milk you for pointers, huh? But only occasionally. At least you know him for himself.” Nita rubbed a finger across her lip as she smiled wickedly, and Diana gasped with happiness as her eyes glittered. 

“Nita! How generous!! I promise I won’t abuse the privilege. Adair’s shoulders are still my favorite. Scales or skin, doesn’t matter.” 

“Ooooh, that’s right. Scales. That would be interesting. Kovit seemed to like it that I ended up scratching his back last night, but how would that work for Adair? Would his glamour show the scratches, or would it just cover it up? And what would he feel?” The two of them were reduced to blushing giggles as Nita spoke.

“Oh my god Nita, stop! You’re getting me riled up, and I haven’t had a chance to get to the store to get replacement batteries for the Bob. Augh, and I can not tell you how many times I have thought about that exact thing!!”

“Bob? That’s twice you said that name now.” Nita said, confused, and Diana snickered.

“You know, B-O-B, the battery operated boyfriend? They go  _ buzz buzz  _ in the best ways? I’m talking about toys, Nita. I promise though, I’ll dream of Adair’s shoulders, not Kovit’s.” At the word toy, Nita felt the blood from her blush drain from her face, and Adair’s words whispered in the back of her head. ~ _ If you hadn’t broken my toys, I could advise you better! _ ~ Nita squeaked and clapped a hand over Diana’s mouth, frantically looking around the shop, trying to figure out where the microphones would be placed. Hopefully not near the register. Diana pried her hand away with a laugh. “Nita, calm down. It’s not like I brought the vibrator with me, good grief, I have some control. Nita, what’s wrong?” The laugh died in her throat as Diana saw Nita shaking her head rapidly and waving her hands in front of her mouth, making shushing motions. “You act like Adair has bugged....the…no. No no. No no no no no. Nita. Please tell me he didn’t!” 

“I forgot!” Nita hissed between clenched teeth as she saw Diana’s eyes go glassy, and for a moment she thought the darker girl was going to faint as she swayed back slightly. Nita grabbed Diana’s arm and dragged her back to the counter. “I swear, I swear Diana, I forgot. I’m sorry. Until you said the word toy, which is what Adair calls his bugs, I completely forgot!” Diana covered her face with her hands and moaned like she was in pain. Nita sunk her hands into her hair and tugged the curls over her eyes, feeling absolutely horrible as she listened to her friend whimper in mortification. She only peeked out when she heard Diana take a deep breath and stand up, though the look on the girl’s face didn’t exactly fill Nita with comfort. It was the face of someone facing their execution, distant but resolute. 

“There’s only one solution then.” Diana whispered softly, and Nita leaned forward as she waited for the rest.

“And that is?” Diana looked her in the eyes.

“Take me to the basement and drown me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for badass Diana!! And perverted Diana! I couldn't help the fourth-wall breaking either, it's just way, way, way too much fun. You can NOT tell me that there wouldn't be the equivalent of AO3 and Fanfiction.net in their world when Nita is listening to Hakuna-Matata while dissecting a zannie within the first couple of chapters of the webtoon!! Perverts Unite!! 
> 
> Being perverted aside, if you are suffering harassments, of any kind, tell someone. It sucks. If nothing is done about it, stand up for yourself. It's scary as hell, but even today, I still get jackasses who look at me and only see me as a walking pair of tits because of how big I am. I will freely admit I am one of the biggest perverts out there, I have a mind so dirty I've made my uncle, who was in the navy back in the 70's and the 80's blush and almost piss himself laughing with some of my jokes and jumps in connections between things to make them bad. I own everyone in my family when we play Cards Against Humanity. But first and foremost, every single person on the face of this planet is just that. A person. And they deserve respect.
> 
> I can flirt and have fun, but when someone treats me or anyone else like just some hole to be filled, or a pole to be climbed, I will shut their shit down faster then my cats scarf down their wet food. You can do both too.
> 
> I hope you all are enjoying it. I am an insecure kitty cat, so the kudos growing is definitely making me happy! As always, be good to each other, and Blessed Be!


	6. Human I have become

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we get some major revelations about our favorite kelpie, and the duality that exists within him. As well as some MAJOR worldbuilding. I did promise you world building, didn't I? I do believe I did. Hope you enjoy.

“WHAT?!?!?!” Nita shrieked, staring at Diana in disbelief. Of all the times to be making murder basement jokes.

“Take me. To the basement. And. Drown. Me!” Diana hissed back, panic in her eyes, as she gripped the counter hard enough that it groaned. “I do not want to see the pity in his eyes when he has to reject me a second time, not when he has full knowledge of exactly how pathetic I really am! So take me to the damn murder basement and put me out of my misery before he gets here Nita! I’ve just fucked everything up with the bestest friend I’ve ever had, and I don’t know how I’m going to live with that!” Diana sank to the floor as tears started to flood down her face. Nita stood frozen for a moment, her mind a jumble of panic and whiplash at how a day could go from silly embarrassing fun to downright painful emotional crisis in less than five minutes. True, a black market dealer wasn’t breaking down the door trying to kidnap her to sell her for parts, but that would be a welcome relief in some ways, that was a react or die situation. Here, Nita was at a loss for what to do. Looking around, she decided the best course was to mitigate any witnesses, so she scampered to the door, threw the bolt, and flipped the open sign to the “Sorry, we’re closed” side. Flicking off the front lights, Nita then ran back to the counter and slid down next to Diana, and hesitated again. Fuck. Here was where she was supposed to comfort someone, and she had no idea what to do. Nita thought back to the night before, how Kovit had wrapped her in his arms, and gingerly put her arms around Diana’s shaking shoulders, pulling her close. Diana wrapped her arms around Nita’s waist and buried her head in her shoulder, trying her best to calm down. “Why am I so pathetic?” 

“You’re not pathetic Diana, he may not even have been listening…”

“Adair’s ALWAYS listening Nita!! He can’t NOT listen!” Diana wailed, and started sobbing harder, hiding her face again, and Nita sighed deeply, patting her back awkwardly.

“Yeah…” Nita muttered, and chewed her lips nervously. “Look, you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve already accepted his rejection and respected his boundaries right?” Diana whimpered and nodded, hugging Nita tightly, and Nita hugged her back, settling her arms more firmly around the sobbing girl’s back. Not the most comfortable situation for her, but Nita knew that after everything Diana had done for her and Kovit, it was the least that she was owed. “Well then, continue to respect his boundaries, and Adair can keep his toothy trap shut. He already knew that your feelings weren’t just going to go away, there’s no reason he can’t be an adult when a reminder crops up that they exist. He was the one that bugged the shop after all. We’ll just take our gossip elsewhere.”

“How am I gonna face him after this?” The dark haired girl asked in a small voice, and Nita laid her head down on top of hers.

“Same way I’m going too. With lots of blushing and glaring and avoiding eye contact. Yes, you’ve talked about what you’ve done in private and would like to do with him, but Adair quite literally heard my big O moment, and then teased me through text afterward. But we’re adults, so eventually the embarrassment will fade and something else traumatic or stupid will happen and things will go back to normal. Well, as normal as things ever are for us.” Nita rubbed Diana’s back as the two rocked back and forth, the older girl’s sobs having calmed down, and Nita cracked a wicked grin. “If he gets sassy about it, threaten to put the kettle on to boil.” Diana croaked out a laugh, sounding all stopped up with snot.

“Nita, you’re horrible!” She sat up and wiped her eyes, pushing her hair out of her face. “Thank you. Shit, I got your shirt covered in snot, I’m sorry!” Nita waved the apology away.

“Not the worst thing I’ve had on a shirt. At least this will wash out” she giggled, and Diana did as well, nodding. Then Diana surprised Nita by pulling her into a tight hug.

“Thank you. Really Nita, thank you.” Diana pulled back and gave a small huff. “Guess I needed to let some of that out, huh?” Nita nodded, staying quiet, and Diana giggled “Drowning may still be an easier out. But look at you, avoiding violence. What would your therapist say?”

“That I’m growing as a person?” Nita flipped Diana off while she sassed back, and the two shared a laugh. A moment later they heard the key being put into the lock, and Diana bit her lip. Nita raised an eyebrow at her, and took in her puffy features. She pointed to the ceiling, then to her own face and mimed washing, and Diana heaved a sigh of relief and mouthed a thank you before jumping up and off to the stairwell. Nita stood up as the door opened to reveal Adair, carrying three insulated cold bags that were bulging. Nita raised a skeptical eyebrow when he swept into the shop seemingly without care.

"Nita!  _ Hello _ ! I'm surprised to see you downstairs! I figured you'd either still be in bed or out with Kovit, celebrating last night! Well, celebrating either way, I suppose." Nita blushed, but refused to back down and look away. Adair's smile was too wide, even for him, and was flickering rapidly, a sure sign he was stressed. Yeah, he had been listening to her and Dianna.

"Hi Adair. Would you like some tea?" Nita asked sweetly, and Adair's smile froze, while his eyes flickered from human blue to kelpie yellow and back again. He set the bags on the counter and opened one up, pulling out a box of grape popsicles.

"No thank you. That requires boiling water, and I can't trust your aim when you get in a mood. Besides, I just finished an ice cream run. Want one?" Adair held out the box, and Nita pulled out a popsicle. 

"My aim is perfect, thank you very much. And I'm not in any kind of mood." Adair grinned meanly as he took out his own ice cream and put the box back in the bag.

"Indeed you are Nita. And after what I heard last night, you shouldn't be. Don't tell me my teasing is that horrible that I ruined all your fun." Nita bit into her ice cream pop and chewed for a moment, letting the cold ice help her keep her temper. Damn Adair for being right about that trick.

"Last night isn't all that you heard though." She said after she swallowed, her voice low. They could hear Diana moving around upstairs, and the smile fell completely from Adair's face. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed, closing his eyes.

"No, it's not. I'm not mad at either of you, and me side-stepping the whole conversation was me doing as you suggested Nita, keeping my toothy trap shut." Adair opened his eyes again, and the look in them was so sad that Nita ached. "No one likes being broken Nita. Not you, not Kovit, not Diana, and certainly not me. But we are. So we do the best we can. And now you know about Sydney. Kovit knows in a vague way, so it's fine if you talk with him about her. I never tried to hide my mate. It's just hard starting the conversation with someone who never knew her, just as it's hard continuing the conversations with those that did." Nita nodded, understanding. It was hard explaining Kovit to those that didn't know him. Adair picked up the bags and headed for the stairwell door, and Nita heard the upstairs door open at the same time as Adair opened the downstairs one. 

"Adair, I…." Adair leaned his head against the door and groaned loudly, and the footsteps from upstairs stopped.

"Nita,  _ please  _ don't meddle in this right now, ok? I didn't let Diana meddle with you and Kovit, so please,  _ please _ , don't meddle with this?" Nita glared at his back without any heat. 

"Who said I was  _ going  _ to meddle?" She hissed, and Adair gave a short barking laugh, before turning around and leaning his side on the doorframe. 

"Nita, it's you. You always meddle. You plot and you plan and you spin ideas like a spider in the middle of a vast cave full of webs. You've been my apprentice for all of five months, and you've already devoured most of what I have to teach you on how to be an information broker. You are terrifyingly smart Nita. Get enough experience under your belt, and you will be nigh on unstoppable. Your mother had nothing on you." Nita's heart stuttered in her chest for several beats as the thought of Adair knowing her mother flowed through her. And the look in Adair's face told Nita that it wasn't by reputation only. She swallowed hard and pushed the chill aside.

"If you think I'm going to meddle anyways, why bother telling me not to?" Nita pouted, trying to lighten the mood. Adair chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes a man has to say  _ something _ , if for no other reason than to sooth his pride later on with the knowledge that at least he tried. He didn't just roll over and take whatever happened." Nita giggled. 

"I guess so. And you did say Kovit and I had a 10 minute head start before you would start hunting us down if we blew up the shop the first time we were here, so I guess you've earned a bit of slack." Adair grinned at the memory. 

"How generous of you Nita." 

"I still didn't mean to bring up painful memories Adair. I'm sorry." Nita looked away as Adair's smile turned rueful.

"You didn't Nita. Thinking about Sydney doesn't hurt, I think about her all the time, every day. How she would keep the shop organized, talk with customers. I think about the way she moved, either on land or in the water, her scent, her voice. There are times when it's so vivid, she's so there and alive still. I can hear her ask me questions." Adair's voice was soft and his eyes distant as he spoke, and then he blinked and his eyes focused again. "It's only when I go to answer her that it comes back to me that she's gone. That's when it hurts. I try to not let myself get that lost. The memories are good, but they’re a vice, an addiction. Most kelpies don't survive the loss of a mate. Sometimes the fact that I did makes me wonder what that says about me." Nita looked at Adair in confusion, and he gave her a bitter smile. "For the first little while, I let myself go, let myself dream. I wanted to die. But even in my dreams, Sydney made me take care of myself, her ghost teased and led me and coaxed me into eating. I waited to die, begged the world to let me die, but it never happened. I felt like a corpse that was just breathing, so why couldn't I just stop? Why couldn't I join Sydney?" Nita wiped the tears streaming from her eyes. Adair's tone wasn't hateful or full of pain, just thoughtful, full of memories. He was still leaning against the doorframe, and his head had settled in the jam, the bags at his feet, his arms crossed loosely over his chest. "I've been left to wonder if its because I didn't love her enough. I've never been able to find an answer to that question. I don't believe in fate or a higher power. But the times I tried to end myself on my own, something Sydney told me when we first met would always come to mind, and stop me." Nita hugged herself tightly around her waist.

"And what was that?" She asked, and Adair's smile lost its bitterness. 

"That there's enough senseless killing in this world already, we don't need to add more. If it wasn't for the fact that Diana had already been born and alive for what? At least 4, 5 years by the time Sydney was killed, I'm pretty sure I would have become a convert to some type of religion that believes in reincarnation." Adair looked at Nita's shocked face and his smile grew. "Diana said the exact same thing, word for word, the second time I spoke with her. It knocked the wind right out of me. I almost forgot to pay for my ice cream that night." 

"Oh" Nita giggled, and Adair laughed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah. The cashier saw I was frazzled, so he didn't give me too much of a hard time. Though when I asked him who Diana was, I got treated to the side eye and the whole, she has a boyfriend shtick. He got treated to the, I'm a young widower who just lost his wife, and the employee reminded me of her so much, I  _ just  _ would like to talk to her more thank you, deal. Cashier shut up real fast." Adair laughed again as Nita winced. "Turns out it was her manager running the register that night. He was a decent guy. He was just watching out for her, and I guess he didn't care much for her boyfriend anyways, but didn't want to stress Diana out. He was a dad, and knew how people get when told that their SOs are pieces of shit." Nita nodded, and chewed on her lip. Adair's eyes narrowed into amused slits. "You want to ask  _ so  _ bad, I can hear your brain sizzling with the effort of holding it back Nita. Just ask." Nita growled in frustration. 

"I don't want to overstep here Adair! No matter how  _ prickly  _ we are with each other, you are my friend, and I don't want to hurt you! If you know I want to know more, you could just tell me." Adair chuckled evilly.

"Dear, dear Nita, you know me better than that. I don't know precisely what it is you want to know, and I don't give things away for free. Making you torment yourself over asking me about it is the payment, because seeing your brain melt in frustration of unanswered questions is  _ soo  _ amusing. If it's something I can't or won't answer, I'll tell you so. I can't get mad at you for not knowing what's "safe" to ask about or not." Nita fidgeted for a moment "I know you want to Nita." Adair teased. Nita let out an exasperated sigh and threw up her hands, leaning back against the counter. 

"Where to  _ start _ ?! I know basically nothing about you Adair! I don't know where you were born, how old you really are, how you got into the black market and the information business. I didn't know you had a wife until this morning, or that she died, or was killed, again, until this morning. I know  _ nothing  _ of your life before Kovit and I came here. All I know is what I've observed. You seem to prefer classic jazz or rock music to whatever is on the radio, you enjoy cute cat videos and memes as long as the words are spelled properly, and you tank out your spell casters as much as possible in whatever video game we play." Adair was chuckling again at Nita's frustration.

"Your astute observation skills are again, terrifying Nita. And I'm sorry, but cats are elegant and precise creatures. The bad grammar in "I can haz chezzeburger" is bad enough, without the slap to the whiskers of improper spelling as well." Nita rubbed her face.

"You're going off on a tangent Adair…" she muttered softly, and he chuckled harder.

"Yes, well, anyway. I was born here." Nita blinked rapidly. 

"In Toronto?" She asked, and Adair shook his head with a grin.

"No Nita. Not Toronto. Kelpies lay eggs, and my parent's nesting grounds were in the lake. A female kelpie will build a nest out of old bones and mud in the shallows, and line it with kills that the male brings her before she lays her eggs. That way the kills have time to decompose and be ready for the young to eat once they hatch. Basically the female gestates the eggs internally for about 5-6 months depending on her age and how big a brood she's carrying. Then the eggs incubate for another 3-4 months in the nest before hatching." Nita was staring at Adair open mouthed, and he was grinning at her. 

"So….you were born...you hatched, onto a pile of rotting corpses...which you proceeded to then….eat?" Adair let out a full bodied laugh as Nita turned slightly green.

"Relax Nita. Wildlife was far more plentiful back then. Hell, most kelpies now still subsist on big game like moose and reindeer and such, or if they prefer saltwater and don't over hunt, they can get by on the orcas and seals and whatnot. It's only kelpies like me who live in cities where there isn't easy access to other large prey species that have to rely on morgues and such to get by on." Nita felt like her brain was frying.

"So, wait, if kelpies can eat other animals, why eat humans? Why the legends of luring people into the water to drown them?" Nita asked, not in a judgmental way, just in pure confusion. Adair looked at her with sad amusement. 

"If people have cows and chickens, why hunt deer? If you have deer and such to hunt, why hunt lions, or elephants, or any other endangered species just for trophies while wasting the meat and hide and other useful parts?" Nita gaped as Adair continued. "Kelpies are obligate carnivores Nita. We are predators. Anything that is flesh is prey, including humans. The fact that we are sentient doesn't change those other facts, just how we act on them. Some chose not to act on them. Some chose to do so. Humans are no different." Nita nodded

"I didn't mean to judge, I was just, shocked I guess. But having to go to the store and get hamburger, then wait for it to rot does sound really stupid. Like, literally throwing your money away…" Adair nodded.

"Especially with the quantity I need. At least by going to the morgues and handling the Jane and John Does for them, I'm being  _ paid  _ as a disposal service. And same thing handling the odd contract for black market contacts. Only I make sure those don't go near Diana. I respect her choices." Nita nodded, looking away. She and Kovit had been one of those contracts last year. Now she knew for sure that Adair hadn't given Diana any of the man Kovit had had to kill because she screwed up kidnapping Fabricio. Brian. His name had been Brian. A friend of Kovit's sister, and the reason she had pulled a gun on him. Had tried to kill him, had been unable to, and had left him after telling him to never look for her again. Nita struggled with the memory for a moment, with the knowledge of the heartache she was the cause of for Kovit. Adair didn't press for what was on her mind, which she was grateful for.

"So you hatched from an egg? And then what? Frolicked amongst the bones?" Nita gave a watery giggle, and Adair grinned.

"Pretty much. My mother had laid seven eggs in that clutch, and of those seven, just me and two sisters hatched. Kelpies aren't a prolific species even in the best of times. But, we grew up, learned to hunt, learned how to use our glamour, how to navigate freshwater versus saltwater and how each affected our food. When the time came, our parents sent us out into the world to find mates and territories of our own. I'm not sure where my clutch sisters ended up, or if they are still alive. Hell, who knows, I may have nieces or nephews out there still." Adair scratched his chin in thought. "At that time we didn't maintain lots of contact with family, didn't have the means too really. Not unless you made the trip back to the nesting grounds, and neither of them have ever visited here since I've claimed it for my own territory. Kelpies have to spread out, naturally, our feeding habits require large areas to maintain us. Nowadays it's easier to keep in touch, and we have too, to some extent. You have to know who you're related to to make sure inbreeding doesn't become a problem with such a small population." Adair sighed and closed his eyes, going silent for several moments. Nita didn't say anything, just waited patiently. 

"I wasn't able to find a mate for a long time." Adair finally continued, his eyes still closed. "I had travelled all over, and back to my nesting grounds without finding someone I was comfortable with. My parents were gone, and no one had claimed the lake. It had changed so much in the time that I had been away, the city had grown. So I took it for my territory. I wasn't interested in the city much at first, except for the children that would come down to the shore, fishing. From time to time I would talk with them. Humans had never been anything but possible prey to me before, but those children were alive in a way I hadn’t seen before. They had just gone through a war that had left millions devastated, and were growing up with hope for the future. I eventually found a place in the city, started to live among people. I learned what the last war had been about, the hardships that people had faced. I pretended to have been sent to live with family to be raised in South America, so my ignorance was excused as having been raised in a neutral area for safety when I lost my parents. I became a part of everyday life in the city, watched the children who had intrigued me grow up. I hadn’t found a mate of my own to have children with, so I satisfied my need for fatherhood by peddling sweets and food I would make, and toys that I found and repaired. I made sure the neighborhood I had settled in was safe for the children that lived there, the slums were so overcrowded in those days, and so many had been left orphaned by the Great War. I was content for a time.” Adair paused again, his throat moving as he swallowed hard several times. There was a creak from the stairwell, as though someone had sat down. Nita watched him for several minutes before speaking. 

“And then?” She asked softly, and Adair opened his eyes, showing pure yellow with black slitted pupils that grew and shrank with his distress.

“And then World War Two happened, and the hopes and dreams of a peaceful future for the children I had watched grow burst into hellfire and spent shell casings.” Nita gasped, and heard another one echo in the stairwell. Adair continued without pause. “So many young men enlisted, and never made it back home. So many broken hearts, shattered dreams, empty homes. The waste and ruin of war it’s called. We didn’t see as much of it on this side of the oceans, a few places like Pearl Harbor, some factories being hit, the firebombs from Japan that made it past the airforce. Nothing like the scars that mar the landscape of Europe and Asia. Places that will never lose the smell of blood, that will never forget the screams and cries of dying men, the whistles of incoming shells and mortars. No amount of rain or grass will ever make those places clean again, no matter how many times I see them again. The ghosts will always be there.” Adair focused on Nita’s pale face again, and blinked. His eyes turned human again, though the blue seemed deeper than before. Adair gave her a small smile. “You asked how I came to be in the information business, Nita. The war is how. I enlisted to help the Allies.” 

Nita blinked rapidly at the admission. “You fought in World War 2?” Adair’s smile turned sneaky.

“Kinda. I enlisted in the intelligence department. I was never on the front lines with a rifle, but I was behind enemy lines, gathering intel and sending back what I could, so that those on the front line could be a little bit safer. Who better than someone able to change their appearance at the drop of a pin? Who could be any age, any rank, any nationality? Who could travel the globe without needing transport or troop support? Kelpies aren’t exactly suited for training or combat, but sneaking and planting false information, while gathering what good information we can? Hell yes. This city was my home, and I wanted to do my part to protect it.” Nita gaped at him.

“But you are an unnatural. A Kelpie! You eat people, the debate of if kelpies should be on the DUL has raged for years! I...I…” Adair was still grinning as he shrugged.

“Nita, none of that was an issue then. Unnaturals weren’t clearly defined back then, or even thought of as if they were  _ real  _ for the most part. This is World War 2 we’re talking about. 1939 to 1945. The worries and concerns about unnaturals didn’t start to become major issues until later, during the Cold War. When the conspiracy theories and research began in earnest after the research that had already been done by both the Allies and the Axis powers on unnaturals was uncovered, and nuclear war was a real danger. The arms race and missile crisis in the 60’s heightened everyone’s worry about unnaturals, since they had been revealed as actually existing, instead of just being myths and legends, that’s when hunters began to form teams and offer their services. Hunters had existed before then of course, but as family lines, like the Van Hellsings, or as religious groups, like the Templars. Not as businesses. But organized crime had already seen a take off after World War 2, and with the Cold War tensions around the world, smuggling and drugs were booming, and the hunters had a fertile ground to grow in and sell body parts that had effects on normal people. And then you know who comes along, and they make INHUP in the 70’s. But in the 40’s?” Adair shook his head “Back then, you had women painting lines on their legs to mimic pantyhose, so that nylon could be saved and sent in for the war effort. Children turned in their toys for the metal, so soldiers could have bullets. Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth at the time, saved her ration coupons for her wedding dress, and when her subjects learned about it and women sent her theirs, she personally wrote out the thank you letters and returned them, because she wouldn’t cheat the system just because she was going to be the next queen. So when I went to the recruitment office, and explained that I needed to speak with the highest ranking officer available because I would need a special assignment, the officer in charge was taken aback at first. Much like with you, Nita, it took proving I wasn’t human, and what I was capable of, before they listened to me. But I could be useful to the war effort, and they weren’t going to let me go to waste, not when I wanted to help.” Nita nodded and bit her lip gently. So much could change so quickly. And with her abilities, what would she live through, what changes would she see the world go through?

“I guess I just never saw you as a “Queen’s Man” before. You’re so.... independent, Adair.” Adair laughed.

“It wasn’t anything like “For Queen and Country! To  _ ME  _ Men!” I was never one to kill  _ just  _ for the sake of killing. And humans were never my preferred prey anyways, they had just pushed other prey from my territory. So, I do what I have to to survive. Believe me, a moose or a bear could keep me fed for a month or more, and tastes  _ sooo  _ much better! But regardless, this is my home. And the Nazi and Axis ideology sickened me. Just because someone looks a certain way, has certain genes, a certain faith, doesn’t make them more or less human. Doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to live. I am and will  _ always  _ be a predator, yes, but I don’t have to devour the world.” Adair sighed and hit his head against the door jam in frustration a few times. “I can’t change  _ what  _ I am Nita, any more than Kovit can. All I can do is go through life causing as little harm as possible, if I choose to, to make up for the harm I do cause. Sydney taught me that.” Nita looked at Adair, who was staring up at the frame of the door, his face a mixture of sadness and love.

“What do you mean?” Nita asked, shifting against the counter. Adair rubbed his face tiredly.

“I met Sydney in the fall of 1941. I had been sent to Ireland to gather an intelligence report from one of the agents there. Ireland stayed neutral throughout WW2, which, having barely made it out of their war for independence with Britain and then a civil war just before the big conflict began, I could completely understand their stance. But they were far more friendly with the Allies than with the Axis forces, and Ireland suffered terribly throughout the war years. They never gave formal support, and therefore never received formal support, and then afterward, they were discounted and discriminated against by most countries and the new United Nations for years following the end of WW2.”

“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t, it sounds like.” Nita remarked, and Adair gave her a sardonic grin.

“Like I said Nita, you are astute. But Ireland was friendly to the Allied forces, had given access to the channel to Britain’s forces and such, had weather reports, radar from their airfields. They refused to conscript anyone for military duties, but they didn’t bar anyone from going and joining the Allied forces. Of course, they didn’t bar their citizens from joining the Axis forces either. It was the delicate tightrope walk of showing a bland face to all while guarding your back with a sword during a walk through a crowded room.” Nita thought of the feeling of talking to the guards and the boatman in the Death Market after having tricked Kovit into the cage, and nodded. You were technically free, but nowhere near safe. “Sydney was the contact I was supposed to meet to pick up the intel. And when we met, it was like we were both struck by lightning. Here we were, working during the war, and we come face to face with another fucking kelpie when we least expect it.”

“You knew right away?” Nita asked with a grin, and Adair laughed.

“It’s hard to explain. Like I can tell that you and Kovit are human, Diana is a ghoul, because each kind of species have a unique kind of marker in their scent. Like how I could tell that the cat last week was in heat before she started yowling, and how she’s pregnant now. Damn Humane Society couldn’t get to her and get her spayed with the rest of the colony, so now we’re going to have kittens this spring. And no, no bringing them into the shop! They break things. You’re just as bad as Diana.” Adair muttered as Nita squealed, and shook his head.

“We’ll put out more food for her though. Yay! Kittens! I guess it makes sense that you could smell that she was a kelpie. We all pump out pheromones and hormones all the time, and they would be unique to each species. What attracts a male antelope to a female one, wouldn’t catch the attention of a male muskox for example. I mean, outside of fiction for that  _ particular  _ example.” Nita amended, thinking of Diana’s comments about Zootopia. She glanced at Adair, thinking about the form that really existed under his glamour. The scales and teeth. Then she thought about the preferences that Diana had shown her, and how they matched that form. Being sentient creatures, desire was no longer about the basic biological urge to procreate, but about mental and emotional compatibility too. Nita’s heart ached for Diana and Adair. Adair’s gaze caught hers, and his grin was knowing.

“I forget how academic and laser focused you can be. Then the urge to meddle turns you human again. It’s fascinating to watch you shift around like that Nita.” Nita stuck her tongue out at him, and Adair laughed. “So yes, Sydney and I knew right away that the other was a kelpie. We did the usual first dance of code phrases to make sure that we were the contacts that the other needed, and exchanged the intel we were supposed to. Sydney was aiding the effort by tracking U-boats and dismantling minefields, apparently, as well as shuffling information. Which was ingenious really. What better radar than Eye-Ball One, right? When I asked her if she knew of anywhere that I could get a meal that would actually sate my hunger, she looked at me for a long time, and then asked me to follow her. She took me to a cave system, under the headlands. It was her territory. She told me there would always be something there, and as long as I was respectful, and didn’t disturb the bones after I was done, I could have a meal anytime I needed it. When I looked at her oddly, she simply looked back and told me I could be respectful and leave the bones, or I could find somewhere else to feed. I told her I hadn’t chewed on bones since I was a hatchling, but I hadn’t heard about giving reverence to them either, so I was just confused. 

She pulled out another envelope and handed it to me. It was heavy, and clinked with the sound of metal. She told me to look in it, since it was open, and when I did, I saw that there was a letter, and that it was full of dog tags. Sydney asked me if there was room in my kit to take the envelope back to a recruitment office, so that the tags could be sent back to the families of the men that had died, so they would know that they were put to rest. That if I had the room, it would be faster than using the post as she had been doing. I told her that I did, and I would be glad to help. I asked her why she didn’t hunt the wildlife or sealife instead, and she shook her head. Sydney told me how desperately the people needed what livestock they still had to work their farms, how both the wildlife and sealife had been over hunted already to help feed not only the people still on the homefront, but to make rations for the fighting men. I could tell that Sydney hated herself for eating those men, I could see it, she told me so in as many words, but it was the choice of taking food from the mouths of living people, or using what had been provided as the product of war. And that’s when Sydney said that there's enough senseless killing in this world already, we don't need to add more. And that just because we needed the meat, didn’t mean we needed to desecrate their peace. That we can grieve for the pain their families will have at their loss. It’s at that moment I fell in love with her.” Adair looked down, and Nita saw that he had tears tracking slowly down his cheeks, pushing the mucus that made up his glamour aside so that small streaks of his scales were visible. Nita felt tears on her own face.

“Oh Adair…” She whispered, her heart breaking again. Adair just smiled gently.

“How can I  _ not  _ see Sydney in Diana, Nita? How can I not love her for having the same kind, giving, unselfish soul? Diana couldn’t help  _ but  _ grieve for the pain the boy who killed her family felt, because he was grieving for the father  _ he  _ lost. Despite the pain and anger the boy caused her, Diana could still love enough to grieve for him. No one is perfect, Sydney certainly wasn’t, I know Diana isn’t. But it’s people like them, that when you are around them, you want to be better, do better, if for no other reason than because you want to  _ earn  _ their love. You want to  _ deserve  _ it. And you  _ know _ , you  _ feel  _ it, deep down inside, that you don’t. And Diana deserves someone who won’t always compare her to a ghost Nita. She deserves a love that is all hers.”

“You deserve love, Adair…” Nita began, but trailed off at the sight of the pain in Adair’s eyes as he shook his head at her.

“Sydney and I survived the war Nita. We survived, when so many others didn’t. We stayed in Ireland for several years after the war, but pretty soon, when information got leaked about unnaturals, tensions started to rise. By that point, since I hadn’t aged, physically, the government cut off my pension, thinking I was forging my information. I was still very good at finding out information, so I fell in with the black market that had sprouted. The Irish Mafia was gaining a stronger foothold by the year, and by the early 60’s, they had strong ties in Canada with the Mafia that had formed with the immigrants that helped to build the country's population the generation before. So we came back to Toronto. The Irish were mostly centered in Montreal, so it gave us a bit of breathing room. We got the shop, set up business. Set up the information business. Stayed under the radar as INHUP was founded and grew. Did our best to stay up to date with new technology, keep our heads on our shoulders, stay away from the police. Then in 1992, there was a stir in the Irish community. A prominent member of one of the Families had pulled a job big enough to earn his freedom. He was 25 at the time, one of the youngest to ever earn his branding. He came to Toronto, and visited me. He was one that had used my services before, so we were on friendly terms. He asked me how I would feel about him setting up a neutral territory in Toronto, since there were no big families that had claimed any portion of it, but it was technically my area, being as I was a kelpie.” Nita leaned her head to the side in confusion.

“Wait, what? I don’t get it. There’s a crime family here in Toronto? Wouldn’t Henry, Gold, and whomever was with them had to have worked with them then last year? Are me and Kovit in danger?” Adair raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

“No. There’s a Neutral Territory. It basically means that a Freedman has claimed an area for him or herself, and any agents from any Family may freely enter and leave the area. They can hunt down targets without getting permission from the Freedman, but they aren’t supposed to fight with known agents from another Family. Usually Neutral Territories are used for peace talks and the like, since they are considered safe zones.” Nita was getting more bewildered by the moment.

“Huh?” Adair laughed out loud.

“Sorry, I guess I expected Kovit to have explained this to you by now, but maybe he doesn’t know it all. Guess you wouldn’t want your pet Zannie dreaming of freedom.” Adair laughed harder at Nita’s glare. “I’m talking about the Pullmans, Nita, not us. I don’t think of Kovit that way, and neither does Diana. Although technically, now you get to call him pet names. Snookums perhaps? Or maybe Squishy Bear?” Nita blushed furiously. 

“I’m going to make kelpie soup, Adair. I’ll start by boiling a huge pot of water…” 

“Alright, alright, grumpy Nita. Eesh. Anyway, the easiest way to explain it would be to say it’s like having different social classes within the mob family. So you have the head of the family and his immediate kin, wife, kids, siblings, parents, etc. They’re like the royal family. Then under them is the, well, underboss is what it’s called, the second in command. Usually it will be a sibling or the child of the head of the family, but not always. Sometimes it’s a best friend, growing up together, your fathers knew each other, child of the main supporter of your parent’s when you’re the heir to the family sort of deal. Anyway, deep trust here.” Nita nodded.

“Gold’s father and Henry.” Adair pointed a finger at her and clicked his tongue.

“Bingo. Now, in small groups, under the bosses, there's the troops. That would be a hodgepodge of people, depending on what kind of ring you’re running. If it’s prostitution, you’d have have the whores and the pimps to make sure that the johns don’t get carried away, and to make sure that the whores aren’t stealing the money. If it’s a gang, you’d have the fast errand boys to collect the protection money or deliver goods, and the bruisers to protect them, or to collect the money from those reluctant to pay. Now, just like with the organized Families, with a capital F there in case that wasn’t clear, the bigger your gang, the more tiers of people you have. The more room there is to move up and specialize if you work hard, or get kicked down and demoted if you fuck up.” Nita smiled bitterly.

“The way Kovit was sent to Reyes.” Adair shrugged.

“Beats being killed. Families run the same way. The richer you are, the more power you have, the longer you’re in the game, the more people you have to manage. The Head of the Family has their immediate kin to look after, their seconds sometimes have theirs. Then you have your head of security, the house guard” at Nita’s wide eyed look Adair nodded “Literally Nita, like the Secret Service of the White House. These are crime lords, people want to kill them. So they pay other people to stop those people from killing them in their sleep. Then they have the house staff, the maids, the cooks, the laundry service. You don’t think Gold’s mother washes and folds their underwear, do you?” Nita laughed, and shook her head.

“I guess not. It makes sense in a way. Noble houses ran the same way in ancient times.” Adair grinned.

“They still do, for the most part. Crime  _ Lords  _ and  _ King _ pins Nita. Those particular words are used for a reason. Now, when a Family takes you in, makes you a part of it, there’s usually no getting out of it. It’s for life. The Family gives you purpose, gives you protection, provides for your needs, gets you out of little fuck ups, and in return, you follow orders, do the jobs assigned to you, protect the Family’s secrets. It’s a blood debt. Quite literally. It is expected that you will die to do your duty for the Family if need be, and that other members of the Family will die to do their duty by you in the same vein. Turning on your Family, outing them to the authorities?” Adair shook his head very, very slowly, and Nita felt a cold chill sweep through her. She and Kovit had inadvertently outed Gold’s family when they released videos of Henry trying to force Kovit into torturing a child, last year when they were stirring up controversy over Kovit being added to the DUL when Henry outed Kovit as a zannie as a control tactic. It had worked to give them breathing room and pull down the DUL, but they hadn’t meant for the authorities to follow the lead back to the rest of Kovit’s Family. It had just happened.

“What does that mean for Kovit?” Nita asked, and Adair shrugged, his face grave.

“He’s in limbo right now. There’s no chatter on the market at the moment, we are keeping an eye on that, no marks placed on him. But that doesn’t mean Pullman has forgotten Kovit. They could be keeping it inside for now, biding their time until the press heat dies off and you and Kovit relax your guard. But eventually, Pullman is going to have to answer the threat and challenge that Kovit poses to his authority and reputation. Leaving him a loose thread is too dangerous.” Nita swayed slightly, feeling the blood drain from her face.

“He's going to try to kill Kovit, isn’t he?” Adair pursed his lips in thought, bobbing his head back and forth, not quite nodding, but not quite shaking his head no.

“That’s one option. Another is inducting Kovit back into the Family, and extending an invitation to you as well, if that is the only way to get Kovit to agree. There’s a third option, but I very much doubt a man like Pullman would settle for it, not unless there were very dire circumstances. But then again Nita, like I said, you are a spider that plots and plans and spins layers on layers of webs. I didn’t think that the DUL could be taken down either, not after I saw how it was created. But you did it.” There was calculating pride in Adair’s eyes as he looked at Nita, and she swallowed a bubble of hope that rose in her throat

“What’s the third option?” Adair grinned sharply.

“Kovit earns his branding from his Family. Is formally freed, set loose and can not be claimed by any other Family as a bounty or poached to be added to their ranks. He would become what in the business is called a Freedman.” Adair shifted his weight to his other leg, and re-crossed his arms, settling back on the jam again. “Basically what happens is that someone in a Family pulls a job so big, a favor so  _ massive _ , that the Head of their Family owes them. They owe the person  _ more  _ than their blood debt. Now, sometimes there is a high enough position within the Family they can be given, or the person wants to marry into the Head’s immediate kinship and they can wipe out the blood debt that way. But that’s  _ even more  _ rare than earning a favor big enough to clear your debt. So what will happen is the Head of the Family will give the person their freedom from their direct obligations to the Family. They still receive nominal support and protection from their Family, and indeed, most Freedmans will still work with their Family for long periods, but they become free agents. They are able to accept jobs without direct approval from their Family’s Head, they can work with other Families as they please, build their own reputations, their own relationships with other agents, etc. Any big fuck ups, and they are on their own, if they get taken by the authorities they can’t be linked back to the Family because they have quite literally burnt their bridges. But they are free to do pretty much as they please, as long as they maintain the dignity and reputation of their first Family until they have their own. And most importantly, a Freedman can set up a Neutral Territory, where other Families can’t bring harm against each other, where other independent contractors, such as myself, can set up shop without being poached, and can, but don’t always, grant amnesty to those that seek refuge away from their Families.” Nita blinked at that.

“And there is one here? In Toronto?” She whispered, her breath whooshing out of her. Adair looked away and nodded reluctantly. “Why didn’t you tell us this before now Adair? If they could help keep Kovit safe, why keep this from us?” Adair was holding himself tightly, and Nita paused for a moment, getting a grip on her temper. Something was wrong. “Adair, you said this Freedman came to you, that you were on friendly terms. What happened?” Adair started to shake, and the door clattered against the step behind it. Adair’s voice, when it came, was wooden.

“We were on good terms, Patrick and I. Sydney had been a good friend of Patrick’s mother, and we had promised her to help him as much as we could, when we could. We’d known him all his life. So when he came to us, with the brand on his chest still freshly burnt, and his new wife in his arms, and told us he wanted to start new, wanted to live life, not take it anymore, Sydney and I were ecstatic. So of course we helped them. They took over a warehouse, built a gym, started helping the community. Sydney and I split our time between the shop and there. We were  _ soo  _ happy,” Adair looked up again, and Nita could see he was crying again. “For 13 blissful years we were happy. And then I go and  _ fuck  _ things up. A client comes looking for information. On someone I’ve had a grudge against for years. I think I know everything that needs to be known about them, so I don’t bother double or triple checking the info I give out like I usually do, and I’m full of self satisfaction with the knowledge that I had a hand in their doom.” Adair looked at Nita, his eyes yellow with wide, blown black pupils, and Nita’s heart felt like it stopped beating from the pain he’s radiating. “Only I’m wrong Nita. So very,  _ very _ ,  _ very  _ wrong. The information I had was so out of date, the client’s men get wiped.  _ Bad _ . And they come for me, thinking I double crossed them. Only it’s not me they find.” Nita gasped with horror, covering her mouth with her hands. Adair’s face had gone hard, unyielding, his eyes distant.

“Patrick and the others from the gym are with me when I scent her blood, as I come racing home, crash through the shop. They’re with me when I find her body, riddled with holes and already lifeless, laying in a puddle that’s already too warm for a kelpie to be comfortable in. Nicole’s the one that finds the note the men left, saying how sorry they were that they missed me, but that they hoped I liked the present they left to remember them by until they could return.”

“Oh god, Adair, I’m sorry.” Nita whispered, tears streaming down her face. Adair didn’t seem to hear her, too lost in his nightmare.

“I remember screaming her name, trying to wake her up. The girls were crying, Patrick was yelling. He had sent some of the others back to the gym when I had panicked and the shop was full of people. It was all a blur. And somewhere in there, I realized, my Sydney is gone. My _Aes_ _Sid’He_ , my fairy queen, my Irish rose, was dead. I had killed my mate, and our..” Adair choked on his words, and covered his face for several long minutes, his shoulders heaving. When he resurfaced, his face was human save for the tear tracks, and his eyes were blue as he stared at the ceiling. “I started to pull her downstairs. My mate was gone, and I needed to place her in the water where she belonged, where she would be at peace. Like the soldiers and sailors had found their peace. The lake was too polluted by that point, was too overfished, industrialized.” Adair’s voice took on a pleading tone, as if he was frantic to have someone understand and not judge him. Nita nodded.

“You needed to give her somewhere safe to sleep, where she wouldn’t be disturbed. Somewhere no one would ever think to find the two of you.” Adair let out a shaky breath.

“We had plans to leave the shop to Patrick and Lien anyways, should anything happen to us. So I started to take her downstairs. The others tried to stop me. I lashed out at them. Shouted horrible things at them. I got Sydney downstairs, into the water. And I waited. And waited, waited. Waited to die. Sydney and I had catches of food stored there, had had them for years. It’s a whole network of cave systems down there. The rivers and channels that had been closed and built over as Toronto was built and grew, it sits on a flood plain. It took Nicole weeks to find me. Still not sure exactly how she managed to do it. Then again, vampires don’t exactly need to breathe, so she probably just stayed down there the whole time.” Adair rubbed his face again, exhaustion clear on it as he sighed heavily. “Nicole dragged me back to the surface. The shop had been cleaned, had been taken care of in my absence. Patrick and the others had hunted down the client that had killed Sydney. They had gone back after the person they were hunting, who had in turn started hunting them in retaliation, and they had both ended up dead. It didn’t matter. My mate was gone. The girls kept an eye on the shop, tried to keep an eye on me. Whenever I would slip off to see Sydney, they would give me some time, but Nicole would eventually come and drag me back. I came to the realization one day that I wasn’t going to just up and die. And when I tried to take an active role in it, Sydney’s words came back to me, and broke me all over again. I wanted death,  _ needed  _ death. But I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t  _ deserve  _ the oblivion that comes with death. So, clients come, and I would find their information. I would guard the entrance to my mate’s resting place, because  _ she  _ deserved peace. I couldn’t return to the gym, couldn’t face the others. They would come by, try to check on me. I would turn them away at the door. I didn’t  _ deserve  _ to die, but I don’t deserve to  _ live  _ either. All I deserve is to suffer.” Nita shuddered at the utter hopelessness in his voice.

“That’s not true Adair!” He turned his head in a lolling, boneless way to give her a flat, emotionless stare, and Nita shuddered again at the blank, lifeless look in his blue eyes. “It’s not! You met in 1941, and she passed in what? 2005? You had 64 years together? There are humans alive today who have had longer with their loved ones Adair!! For everything you have done, and been, you deserved better, more! For all the things you have seen change, for as long as you had...have been...alone…” Nita lost her breath as her own words hit her full force, her eyes going wide. Adair’s mother had built her nest in the shallows of the lake itself. Had lined it with the bodies of  _ wildlife _ . How long ago had it had to have been since the lake had been clean enough for that? For there to have been few enough people for a nesting site to not be discovered for  _ months _ ? For there to be few enough people that enough big wildlife could even be  _ found  _ here to support a mated pair of kelpies? Had there even been settlements then? “Adair?” She whispered.

“Yes Nita?” He replied, watching her face as she worked through everything. He had a smile so razor thin and sharp on his lips, Nita swore she would cut herself on it if she touched him.

“How old are you?” The words were out of her mouth before Nita could stop herself, and she felt the room go cold. His smile grew, and grew, and grew. Row upon row of needle thin teeth appeared, overlapping and bristling with danger as Adair’s glamour fell away to reveal his gaping maw.

“Ask me no hard questions, dear Nita,” Adair’s tone was a mockery of Diana’s from earlier as he echoed her joke, and the rest of his glamour vanished to show his scaly face and yellow eyes. Eyes that had cat-like pupils in narrow slits just then, and held an ancient, relentless, unending hunger that would never be quelled. Eyes that were filled with a sentience that was as cold, as calculating, and as primal as the Earth itself. Nita had been in the presence of hunters before, had known herself to be prey before a predator. Around her mother, Reyes, Henry, other black market dealers. She had feared and fled and fought for her life before. They were all nothing compared to what she was experiencing now. Her animal hindbrain was in overdrive, sending her body all the signals to run, to hide, to find cover and tremble and hope and pray that the predator passed her by. She was trembling from the rush of adrenaline flooding her bloodstream. But her fear wasn’t for her safety. She could focus on only one heartbreaking thought. ~How has he maintained his sanity with this kind of duality inside of him?~ Adair was still speaking, and it Nita snapped out of her fear cycle.

“Ask no hard questions, dear Nita, and I will not need to break any of your pretty little lies.” Adair bent down and retrieved the insulated cold bags at his feet. When he stood back up, he was Adair again, black wavy hair, pale skin, sly smirk, and blue eyes. Just with more sadness in them now. He turned to go down the stairs, but stopped dead in his tracks as Nita’s voice rose with her temper.

“ _ Pardon _ me, Mz. Drama Llama, for asking for some ID before I sell you cigarettes! And they say us women get in a titzy when asked for our age. Well you just won the “Resting Bitch Face” award Adair!” Adair turned in place as Nita strode up to him in a fury, disbelief all over his face. Nita stopped a few paces away, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her foot angrily as she glared him down. “You seriously need to quit trying the same old tired tricks. If it didn’t work on Diana, what in the  _ fuck  _ makes you think pulling the “I’m a scary kelpie” face is going to work on me? I’m still here Adair, I still care, and if you try to take a bite out of me, I’ll bite back! Twice!” Nita flipped Adair off to drive her point home, and he let out a frustrated growl.

“You are insane Nita!” Nita gave him a manic grin

“No shit Sherlock, and I have the paperwork from the doctor to prove it! If you want I can frame it and put it on the wall as a reminder.” Adair’s shoulders slumped and he let out a groan. “That doesn’t mean I’m wrong, or that I’m making up lies or a fantasy world Adair! I know what I see in front of me.” Adair glared at her.

“And what, Oh Great Seer, do you see?” He snarked. Nita let loose a growl of her own.

“I see an irritating asshole who loves to dole out advice but can’t take any himself. 

I see a kelpie, a predator, who has to eat meat to survive, but respects life enough to not cause death if he can help it.

I see a man who loves classic music, and now I understand why, and it’s because it reminds you of a time when you first started to become human yourself.

I see a cynical information broker, who became that way because the world he risked his life for turned their back on him and left him in the darkness.

I see a pawnshop owner who cares for the feral cat colony in his neighborhood, makes sure they have shelter and food, because the wild creature in him knows that they are happier outside in their home, but the human in him cares for their well being. You provide for their needs and medical procedures so that they don’t succumb to the illness and poverty you saw that hurt the children you cared for before the war took them from you, and the cats are a replacement because you can’t bear to open yourself to that kind of pain again.

I see a man who lost his love far,  _ far  _ too early, and who has been punishing himself ever since. Who has turned away from everything and anything that could bring him pain, holding onto the old wounds to keep new ones from happening.

I see a complex person who has been through so much on his own, who has suffered and fought and tried and is tired of it. I see someone who  _ deserves  _ happiness. There will always be bad and pain, that’s life. But it  _ needs  _ to be balanced with good and with joy. With  _ love _ . That’s also life.  _ And you deserve to LIVE Adair _ . I see  _ YOU _ !!” Nita was shaking with emotion by the end of her screaming, and Adair was simply looking defeated. His shoulders had slumped more and more with each point Nita made, the bags almost to the floor again, and Adair’s face was slack, his eyes full of tears, though none spilled down his cheeks. He stood there with his mouth hanging slightly open, gaping at her silently for a few moments.

“Damn you Nita.” Adair’s voice was a broken, whispered, croak that barely reached Nita’s ears as a tear finally escaped the dam. “Damn you and your meddling.” Then he was gone, the shadows of the stairwell swallowing him as he descended to his basement sanctuary. Nita wrapped her arms around her middle and rocked back and forth as she tried her best to not cry anymore.

“I only promised you ten minutes!” she yelled after him, her voice cracking as she heard a rushing sound on the upper steps. “And you asked!” Nita closed her eyes against the headache that was forming, and felt the tears slip out despite her efforts. A moment later, Diana’s arms were around her, and Nita felt herself start to sob. “He asked.” She whispered pitifully, and Diana shushed her as Nita felt Diana’s tears mix with hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is the chapter title a play on the 3 Days Grace song, Animal I Have Become? Yes, yes it is. Did I make myself cry writing this chapter? More than once. Did my hubby roll his eyes at his over emotional wife and her love of fictional characters and the fact that they're full of soo much pain!!??!! I'm surprised he didn't teleport into another dimension with how much his eyes rolled back. Yeah, I'm a weirdo. And a meddler myself. It's ok Nita, we'll work together to make a happy ending for our cute ghoul-kelpie couple, just have patience. I know patience isn't a strong suite for either of us, but there's sooo much more story for me to write. Which means there's so much more for you to live through. I'm evil like that, :D.
> 
> So, the amount of research I did for the timeline to be accurate....I am both pleased, and a bit appalled at myself. Pleased, because it worked out so well and fit the continuality of the canon story SO FUCKING GOOD!, and a bit appalled because when I looked at my notes and thought back....if I had applied myself this much in school....my teachers would have been much much much more happy.....so yeah. My bad. Pay attention in school. XD
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy. Last couple of chapters have been heavy, but I think the next couple of ones will be lighter. I had a really shitty night at work tonight, so I'm gonna take a bit of a break and not let it ruin the mood of the story. I mostly type at work on google docs during my free time, and I'll get back at it tomorrow. I'm still at least one chapter ahead from what I've posted I think, so hopefully it won't break my flow too much. Be good to each other, stay safe, and as always, let me know what you think please! Blessed be!


	7. Compromises and Sweet Treats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some light hearted fun for our favorite monsters. And a peek at the sweeter side of our favorite zannie. Will Nita be able to handle the cuteness? Come read and find out.

Diana held Nita for several long minutes as she cried her heart out. She had learned so much about the people she cared for in such a short amount of time, Nita wasn't sure how she could bear it. Her heart felt tender and bruised, beating frantically against her ribs like a butterfly trying to escape a glass jar. ~ _ If only zannies could fully feed on emotional pain, Kovit would never go hungry again _ ~ Nita thought, not with malice, but with a numb detachment that still pinched her heart. Her sobs were calming down, but she still clung to Diana. ~ _ With as much as we all have been through, we could give him a Christmas feast any day of the week. But it would break Kovit to ask that of us, and to feel our pain this strongly, that often, would break the rest of us. We'd drown the world with our tears. _ ~ Nita's mind shied away from the thought, and she pulled away from Diana, wiping her face. Diana brushed Nita’s hair back, and looked at her with concern. Nita couldn’t meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Nita whispered. “Now I’m the one getting your shirt covered in snot.” Diana gave her a tiny smile.

“S’ok. It’ll wash.” Nita gave a weak chuckle at her own words, and Diana hugged her again. Nita took a shuddering breath, sniffling.

“I am sorry Di,” She started, and Diana shook her head, shushing her again.

“It’s ok Nita, really. He just needs some space, and some time. We’ll give it to him. If something drastic happens, and we really need Adair, we have the sonar. I doubt he went downstairs to get online. Go wash up and get something to drink” Nita nodded and headed upstairs, pausing on the landing for just a moment to look downwards before turning away. The basement was split into two parts, much like the man that owned it. There was the finished half: a freezing, climate controlled area that held his workspace with several different servers and his large workstation with multiple monitors. It also held hundreds of filing cabinets, and Adair had just recently added three new workstations, he and Kovit shuffling things around so that everyone would have space to work together. Diana had even more monitors than Adair at her space, and watching the ghoul process information was like trying to keep track of a hummingbird or a dragonfly. Nita and Kovit’s stations were simpler, since they were just learning, and Kovit’s especially, since he mostly was converting the physical files in the cabinets into digital format. Nita was doing that as well, since that was part of Adair teaching her, but Kovit wanted to be useful too, so Adair was having Nita focus on the more current information to build her understanding of the black market, while Kovit worked on older, less likely to be needed, stuff. 

As they worked through the physical files and got them copied, Adair had moved them to a secured storage facility away from the pawnshop. Kovit had made the mistake of asking why Adair didn’t destroy the physical copies, and had been treated to an ear blistering rant about back ups, and computer viruses, and power failures causing motherboards to be fried and losing information. Two is one, and one is none, was one of Adair’s favorite sayings, and Nita had shared in Diana’s laughter as Kovit fled from Adair’s wrath that evening. But with fewer cabinets, Adair had the space to bring everyone together downstairs, which, admittedly, was much more comfortable than trying to shuffle things around on the wobbly table in the shop and being hovered over by the kelpie while typing on her laptop. Adair had even been able to refrain from making murder jokes the first day, which was a miracle in and of itself. Just off the main room there was a smaller one that held what Kovit called “The Chapel”. It held more servers, but these weren’t for the information business. Adair used them to run his personal and public servers for the various video games he played. The Chapel also housed his state-of-the-art gaming rig, along with the huge flatscreen smart tv he used as his gaming monitor. Kovit had actually fallen to the floor and hugged Adair’s knees when the kelpie showed them around, which everyone had laughed about for weeks afterwards.

The other “half” of the basement was a narrow corridor that traveled downwards at a comfortable angle for quite a while. The part that was actually in the basement were stairs, but those soon turned into a stone passageway that twisted around itself, it’s floor rough to give traction. There was a handrail carved into the wall to give someone a grip, and new LED tube lighting had been installed along the corner where the wall met the ceiling, giving just enough light to not trip over your feet if you were careful. At the bottom of the passageway, it opened up into a decent sized chamber of stone. There were some stalagmites and stalactites growing from the floor and ceiling, respectively, and in a few places they had grown together to form pillars. There was also a pool of very deep, very cold, very still, water.

Nita washed her face and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, a sense of deja vu coming over her. And not from the night before. Nita thought back to the first day Adair had taken them downstairs, had shown them where he was planning on setting up their workstations, Kovit’s goofiness over the gaming room. Adair had led them through the passageway to the cavern, had turned on the electric camping lanterns kept in the wall niches near the doorway. They had been awed at the natural beauty of the cave, had gasped in wonder at the different minerals that sparkled in the lamplight. They spoke in hushed tones, listening to the drips of water as the condensation gathered and percolated through the soil, depositing more minerals so that the stalagmites and stalactites would continue to grow like living creatures. Adair showed them the battery powered sonar he had gotten, tied to a length of nylon rope, that they could use in case they needed to contact him and he was away in the water feeding. The sonar was the type that sent out a simple sound wave, and when it pinged off of something, be it a rock, or a fish, or a piece of wood, it would bounce back to the receiver the shape of the object, the kind that fishermen used in murky waters. 

Adair told them that even though the waterway was huge, the sound waves should still carry where they would need to, and even if it took awhile for him to get back, at least it was something to start with. Nita thought the idea was ingenious. Adair showed them all how the sonar worked, then turned it off and stored it in a plastic cooler to keep excess moisture from collecting in the electronics. Kovit and Diana had wandered off a ways to check out some of the rock formations, and Nita had knelt down next to the pool, gazing at her reflection in the still water. It was so still and calm that Nita was reminded of her steel dissection table, and the thought brought her so much peace, Nita almost started crying. She touched the surface of the water, and gentle ripples distorted her reflection. Nita glanced across the water, staring at a pillar of stone, and let the peace and quiet fill her soul. She hadn’t felt this quiet since before her mother brought Fabricio into her workroom, and even Kovit and Diana’s soft voices didn’t disturb her. Adair stepped up next to her.

“Nita?” he asked softly, taking in her solemn look. Nita let out a little sigh before looking at him.

“I know Kovit was joking when he called your gaming room The Chapel. So why does this place feel like one? Why does it feel holy? Sanctified?” Nita asked softly, and Adair didn’t answer. Instead, he smiled softly, and offered her his hand. She took it, and he helped her to her feet.

“Whenever you need silence, Nita, you’re welcome to visit. Just remember to come back. Too much silence is a curse.” Adair squeezed her hand and then let go, turning and walking over to Diana. 

Nita blinked the memory away, and shut off the water to dry her face. Now she knew why the cave felt that way, why too much silence was a curse. Nita  _ had  _ visited a few times, and had never stayed very long when she did. Not out of discomfort, for the cave was a very comforting place. But more out of a sense of respect, though she wasn’t sure at the time for what, only that it seemed very precious. Now she knew why that was too. Sydney was there, sleeping. Nita blinked at herself again, staring into her own eyes. This was the first time she had ever thought of death that way, as sleep. As something peaceful. She would visit again soon, Nita decided. Not right away, not right now. To intrude on Adair’s pain would be inappropriate, cruel. But she would make the time to have a proper visit. Nita nodded to herself, her resolve firmed. Sydney deserved that. If Sydney and Diana really were so much alike, really were two sides of the same coin, Sydney would not be angry at her for pushing Adair to live. She would not want Adair too long to join her in death, to continue to suffer. Nita rubbed her chest over her heart, which still felt tender, but mending now that her mind was made up. Sydney would rest better knowing that Adair had people watching over him again.

Nita grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge before heading downstairs, uncapping one and taking a long drink. She used her abilities to open and enlarge the veins and capillaries in her head, and pulled the liquid into her system faster to ease the pounding headache that her crying had left her with. When Nita returned to the shop, she handed the other bottle to Diana and went to stock the magazine rack at the end of the counter. The shop had been reorganized as well in the 5 months since Kovit and her had moved back to Toronto, with new shelves being added slowly as items were properly categorized, priced, and sorted. There was still plenty of unorganized mess in the middle that people seemed to enjoy picking through, and Adair said that they would honor the old pricing if the customer took the item right then just so that they didn’t have to bother going through the stuff themselves. But if someone showed an interest in something in the pile and didn’t take it right away, it was pulled and sorted, usually with a higher price tag.

Nita thought about all the changes to the shop that had happened since she and Kovit had come back. It seemed to amused Adair to no end that the girls wouldn’t let Kovit do any of the heavy lifting at first. While Kovit appreciated their concern, and even admitted that with Nita’s abilities and Diana’s increased strength as a ghoul he didn’t need to be macho or play a stereotype and insist on straining his newly healed wound, it just bugged him that he was being coddled. He never had been before, and he didn’t know how to handle it. But Adair took him aside one evening and told him to simply let Nita and Diana mother-hen him for a bit. Adair reminded Kovit that he  _ had  _ wanted something different from life, and that this  _ was  _ different. He then told Kovit to let himself relax and enjoy it, and if it got to be too much, that he would play interference and get Kovit out from under the girl’s watchful eyes. Kovit agreed, and Adair kept his word.

The girls and Adair would shift and sort, while Kovit wiped and swept and dusted, and when Nita or Diana nagged too much about Kovit overdoing it, Adair would remind them that Kovit wasn’t made of glass, and if he was deemed fit to face trial, he could do housekeeping. When Nita and Kovit moved back upstairs, and everyone was hauling boxes and furniture, and Nita would fume when Kovit lifted something she thought was too heavy or twisted the wrong way, Diana would drag her out to get something for everyone to eat, and Adair would help carry the heavy loads. Over time, they all became comfortable with the idea that Kovit wasn’t going to break, that his injury wasn’t going to cause him permanent weakness. He was healing. Nita still had several bottles of the blood wine they had made when they had captured Andrej, and Kovit drank some everyday, which eased Nita’s worries somewhat.

An older couple came into the store to browse as Nita moved on to the maps and entertainment flyer section of the magazine rack, and her thoughts moved on to compromises and middle grounds. Darico was right the night before. It didn’t have to be all feast or famine Nita supposed. She was learning to compromise with Kovit, with Diana, with Adair. They were learning how to live together as a family, while still maintaining themselves as individuals. Diana went to help the older couple shift through the pile in the middle of the store, and Nita listened in on the conversation.

“Was there something in particular you were looking for that I could help you find?” Diana asked, and the older woman smiled happily as she checked a small silver music box lined with blue velvet.

“Oh, not really dear, but thank you. I’m just hunting for treasures, little things to make pretty for the grandchildren, or for my craft room, that sort of thing. My darling Rupert is just along to make sure I don’t go overboard. Antique stores aren’t really his jive, you know.” Diana giggled as the older man wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her hair.

“Now Martha, just because it’s not a boat shop, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a day out in the shops with you. I’ve been your pack mule for forty some years now, I can’t give that up! Besides, seeing your face light up when you find one of your treasures is better even than snagging a 15 pound bass on my line.” Nita grinned as the woman let out a disbelieving snort, her smile growing wide.

“Please, my smiles have nothing to do with it! I know what you’re after, you old suck up! My cooking!” She kissed his cheek and he shrugged at Diana helplessly.

“Can never pull the wool over her eyes. I did smell pot roast cooking this morning, with potatoes and carrots and onion! So I suggested a turn about the shops while we waited for lunch. This woman can cook!” Everyone laughed as the couple hugged and kissed again, and when they pulled apart, the woman patted his cheek with a warm smile.

“And for being such a cunning sweet fox, there’s an apple pie ready for the oven when we get home. Now let me look for treasures, pack mule!” Diana told them to let her know if they needed help, and left them to their hunting as she came back to the counter. The girls giggled together over how cute the couple was. Nita hoped that she and Kovit could have something that would last like theirs. The woman said they had grandchildren. Nita wondered what that must be like, having a child, watching it grow, encouraging it, embracing it, letting it be it’s own person, being happy that it would have it’s own life, it’s own love, it’s own child. Would she and Kovit have that? Could they? Kovit hadn’t seemed perturbed by the idea of a child or of her being pregnant when he made jokes last night, just about the thought of their first time hurting her, so did Kovit want children? Did she? She got so easily annoyed by people in general, and she had never spent time around children, other than in stores and such places. Which was not a good indication of behavior for anyone. What if she was as broken as her own mother, seeing any child she had as a tool to be molded into shape. And if Kovit’s mafia family was still after them, would it ever be safe for them to have a family of their own? 

Nita realized she was spiralling into a panic, and stepped away from the counter. Diana raised her eyebrows at her, and Nita just shook her head quickly, before stepping away and into the stairwell. She closed the door softly and sat down, taking several deep breaths. ~ _ You are jumping across way, way too many steps at once Nita _ ~ She told herself, holding the breaths for a few seconds to make sure she used up all the oxygen in them. ~ _ You and Kovit literally just became official last night. Slow your ass down! _ ~ Nita used her abilities to release serotonin and other relaxing hormones into her bloodstream, making her heartbeat slow down, and continued her breathing exercises. Darico had wanted her to try to avoid using her abilities if she could, to try more normal exercises to calm herself or to have someone help her through her panic if she needed, but at the moment, Nita didn’t want to bother the doctor again so soon, and she wasn’t quite ready to bring this subject up to Kovit, or deal with Diana teasing her. Not that she figured Diana would tease her much, but the thought of a baby Kovit might send Diana over the moon, or into cardiac arrest, Nita wasn’t sure which. Nita felt like it was doing both to her. And after what Adair had been through, what he had told her, he was too raw right now to seek advice from.

It didn’t help that the image of an adorable child with a mixture of her and Kovit’s features appearing in her mind’s eye was making her heart melt with longing, but the knowledge of  _ how  _ such a child would come into being was bringing to mind thoughts of the things she and Kovit had done together the night before, making her squirm. Nita groaned in frustration as her heartrate picked up again.  _ Why  _ was her mood swinging all over the place today? From happy giddiness, to weepiness, to frustrated anger, to horniness, and she was  _ hungry  _ for goodness sake, what was taking Kovit  _ sooo  _ long? Nita paused, and thought back, counting days, then looked inside with her abilities. No, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels were balanced right….hmm, ~ _ Well, just like I told Kovit, it’s no different than birth control to stop it. PMS still happens. Which is stupid. When you control how your body functions, you’d think  _ you’d _ be in control… _ ~ Nita rolled her eyes, and huffed. ~ _ Being a woman sucks ass! And throwing myself into a tailspin over kids that may or may never exist isn’t going to do me any good. Make a note to talk with Darico about my fears that I’m too much like Mom, and drop it for now. Do what you can to fix what you can, when you can, and then release the rest.~ _ Nita pulled out her phone and updated her note that she kept for things to talk with Darico about, adding one that said: Kids? Too much like Mom?; and crossing out the ones that said: Kovit-can’t find legal pain; and: Vultures-to kill or not to kill? Nita took another deep breath and smiled. Her notes had changed a lot since she first met the doctor, and Nita had to laugh at how well Darico had come to know her. At first, when the older woman had suggested Nita write down any worries or thoughts that she wanted to bring up in sessions, Nita had scoffed outright at the idea. Darico had smiled and told her to think of it as though therapy was another class for school, and the notes were for non-immediate issues that would stand in for homework for therapy. 

Nita hated to admit that the idea had intrigued her. Darico seemed to flow so easily between academic intelligence to what Kovit called “street smarts” and what Diana said was “plain old common sense”, and her advice was usually a mixture of the two, either a simple idea supported by academic research, or a complex idea broken down into simple, achievable steps. When Nita would ask Adair what he thought of Darico, he wouldn’t really answer her, except to say that his opinion didn’t matter as much as hers did in this situation, though he would give her a sad little smile when he said it. For someone whose business it was to know everything and everyone, Nita had to wonder what their history was.

So Nita took her notes, and at first had deleted them after talking with Darico about them. When she told Darico that, the therapist had suggested that instead of deleting the topic completely, to find another way to mark that they had been spoken of, because usually issues resurface and need to be addressed multiple times, sometimes years later. So Nita did so, and found that Darico had been correct then as well. It was a frustrating trend that Nita was watching develop, even though she knew Darico was only trying to help. The fact that she wasn’t overly pushy about it only made it more frustrating, because there was never the “I told you so” feeling when Nita finally came around to Darico’s way of thinking. Just a feeling of relief that a tension had fallen away, and more work could be done together, easier.

And it utterly baffled Nita that it was reciprocated. Darico  _ genuinely  _ listened to her. Not just her worries and fears. But her explanations, her thought processes. Darico respected that Nita was her own person, with her own life experiences. She literally said as much last night. Nita felt tears sting her eyes at the validation. Darico literally told her that she would try to guide her to better choices, if Nita would let her, but ultimately the choice was Nita’s, and she would respect whatever choice Nita made. Monica had tried to manipulate Nita, tried to make Nita feel dirty for caring for Kovit and wanting to be with him. Monica had judged Nita, and found her wanting. Darico was the opposite. She supported Nita, understood why Nita wanted to help Kovit, and was helping Nita find ways to do so that were safe for both of them, mentally and physically. And she did it without judgement. Darico didn’t lie and say that no one would judge them, but  _ she  _ didn’t. And that lifted a weight from Nita’s heart that she didn’t know could be lifted. She just wasn’t sure how to process that yet.

When Nita returned to the front, the couple was at the register with their purchase. They had found several other small items besides the music box, and Nita helped Diana wrap and bag everything up before wishing them a good day. As the couple walked towards the door, Nita sighed at their back and forth quibbling. Diana glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

“You ok?” she asked quietly, and Nita played with a pen on the counter.

“Yeah...Just...PMS.” Diana ahed with understanding. Nita pouted “And I’m missing Kovit. I’m hungry.” Diana grinned wickedly.

“For breakfast, or Kovit?” Nita stuck her tongue out at the ghoul, and they giggled.

“Yes” She answered, and Diana laughed harder. Nita glanced up as the door opened just as the older couple reached it, and there he was. When Kovit saw that the couple were trying to leave, he stepped back and held the door for them, a broad smile on his tawny face. He held out his free hand to help them down the steps since he was in the way of one of the rails, and the couple thanked him as they headed on their way, before Kovit headed inside.

“Speak of the sexy devil, and he shall appear!” Diana whispered in Nita’s ear, who giggled and shoved her friend, and in turn Diana began to poke her in the side. “You’re drooling Nita!”

“I am not!” Nita hissed back as they play fought, though she kept shooting glances over at Kovit as he walked through the store. He was wearing faded blue jeans with his high top sneakers, along with his dark jacket zipped up against the cold. He wasn’t wearing a hat, so his black hair was tousled from the wind, and his cheeks were a bit red from the cold, but he had a happy smile as he gazed back at Nita, and she felt her cheeks heat up in a blush.

“You are too, you are too, it’s dripping down your chin!” Diana teased as she dodged Nita’s return jabs, and the two laughed together as Kovit walked up to the counter. He unzipped his jacket, revealing one of those tight black shirts that Diana had crooned about earlier, as well as a white paper bag, which he sat on the counter before leaning against it. 

“Why do I get the feeling I’m the butt of this joke too?” he asked, his smile turning a bit wicked as he looked between the girls. Diana just laughed, but Nita was too busy sniffing the air and staring at the bag as the aroma of  anise, orange, cloves, and cinnamon filled the air. The bag had a small stamp in gold wax, of a river between two hills. Nita looked up at Kovit in shock as he grinned at her.

“Kovit, don’t tell me you went all the way to the  BOLÍVAR Bakery! That’s halfway across town! No wonder you were gone so long!!!” Kovit nudged the bag closer to her.

“I ate my strawberry  _ buñuelos _ on the bus, I hope you don’t mind. Those things are bite-sized pieces of heaven!” Buñuelos were fluffy fritters usually filled with pastry cream, custard, or marmalade, and dusted with powdered sugar. Nita noticed the white streaks on Kovit’s shirt where some of the sugar had fallen, and she giggled. Kovit was addicted to the tiny, pillowy, Spanish version of donuts. The BOLÍVAR Bakery was a specialty pastry shop that served various Spanish desserts full time. They did a roaring business, despite the fact that the owners spoke almost no English, so they relied heavily on their teenage daughter to handle the English speaking customers, or flashcards that had serving amounts printed in both English and Spanish on them so that customers could point to the product they wanted, then to how much of it they wanted. Nita knew how a little patience and miming could get you a long way when there was a communication barrier.

“I’ll forgive you this time, though you made a mess of your shirt,” Kovit looked down sheepishly and tried to wipe away the streaks some more, while Diana giggled. “What did you get me?” Kovit grinned back up at her, resting his chin in his hand as he nudged the bag even closer.

“Look and see.” was all he said, and Nita caved. Diana looked over her shoulder as Nita broke the wax stamp and unrolled the bag, her nose twitching as the aroma got stronger. Her eyes went wide in delight and she gasped, then Nita began to hop from side to side as Diana looked at her with a wide grin.

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! You got me  _ pestiños _ !!!” Nita let out a high pitched squeal and bunny hopped around the counter to glomp Kovit in a hug, which he happily accepted. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You’re the best!” She punctuated each thankyou with a kiss, which had him and Diana laughing. Diana pulled the bag a little closer to herself and peered into it, seeing little brown fritters drizzled with something.

“They smell great, but what the hell are  _ pestiños _ ?” she asked, her voice filled with amusement as she tried to figure out the spices she was smelling. Suddenly, the bag was snatched out from under her hand, and Nita was giving her a death glare as she clutched it tightly to herself.

“MINE!!! They are the food of the gods themselves, and they are  _ mine _ !!” Nita hissed at her, and Diana held up her hands in surrender. Kovit was laughing as he held Nita in his lap, his chin on her shoulder

“Well shit, ok! Note to self, do  _ NOT  _ get between this girl and her  _ pestiños _ . I almost lost my hand. Still doesn’t tell me  _ what  _ they are.” Diana laughed as Nita dug into the bag with her eyes alight with manic glee.

“Spiced dough that has been deep fried in olive oil, Di. They mix  anise, orange zest, cloves, and cinnamon into the dough before they fry it,” Nita pulled out a fitter, licking her lips, and popped the whole thing in her mouth. Her eyes rolled back as she chewed, and she went limp against Kovit’s chest as he chuckled, kissing her hair. Diana clapped her hands over her mouth at the sight, trying not to burst out laughing. That  _ had  _ to have been what Nita looked like last night. When Nita swallowed she opened her eyes and licked her lips again, her voice reverent. “Most times, people cover  _ pestiños _ with powder sugar, just like  _ buñuelos _ , but BOLÍVAR covers their  _ pestiños _ in  _ honey _ ! It’s absolutely divine. And during different seasons, they have specials of flavored honey for the  _ pestiños _ ! Oh it’s  _ soooo  _ good!!!” She snuggled into Kovit’s throat, and he let out a deep chuckle as Diana cooed.

“Di said to get you something special. And I remembered how much you liked them the last time we stopped in after you had an appointment with Darico. I wanted to start off right. I am sorry I took so long.” Kovit was beaming as he shrugged, very satisfied with how well his plan was pulling together. Diana lost control of her giggles as Nita covered his face in kisses again.

“You are perfect  _ corazón _ ! They’re perfect! You even kept them warm!” Nita snuggled back into Kovit’s chest, digging into the bag again happily as he held her close. Diana leaned against the counter to keep from falling as she watched them interact. 

“You two are just way too cute! Honestly, I don’t know which is better, you guys being adorkable cuddle bugs, or murderous psychopaths?” Diana laughed harder when Nita stuck her tongue out at her and Kovit hid his face in her hair. “At least you two have balance I guess. Enjoy your  _ pestiños  _ and cuddles. I’m gonna go sort the pile!” Diana headed away from the counter, and when she glanced over her shoulder, she saw that Kovit was feeding Nita a fritter. Their eyes were filled with adoration and Diana’s heart melted, until she saw that Nita was nibbling on Kovit’s finger, cleaning it of honey. Then a wicked grin crossed her face as she rounded a shelf. “And keep your clothes on. You’re in public!” her voice carried through the shop, along with her cackling laugh. Kovit went beet red as Nita burst into giggles, and she hid her face in his chest as he groaned.

“Diana!!!” Kovit yelled, his voice flooded with embarrassment. More cackling was all the answer they got.

They used the electric kettle that was in the shop to heat water for tea as they worked their way through the  _ pestiños _ , pulling the mugs and tea bags out from under the counter where they were stored. It was another one of the compromises they had settled on, finding ways for everyone to be comfortable while working and living together. Adair needed the shop to stay cold, afterall; there was only so much ice cream even  _ he  _ could eat before getting sick; and the others needed to stay warm. So Nita got the kettle for tea for her and Kovit, and Diana’s cocoa. They kept everything under the counter for easy access, and they took their mugs home or upstairs to wash when needed. Adair had moved the mini fridge from the upstairs room down to the shop when Nita and Kovit moved in, getting them a slightly larger apartment sized one for upstairs, so they had room to store snacks and cold drinks downstairs without having to use up Nita and Kovit’s groceries. He still had the deep freezers downstairs where he stored his ice cream and the meat he and Diana needed, and Nita made sure to replace what popsicles she pilfered from his stores.

The cold was even more important downstairs, to counteract all the heat that the electric equipment put out. Being a ghoul, Diana didn’t mind the cold as much, so she got by with just a couple of blankets or layering her clothes. Nita also got by with blankets and raising her temperature with her abilities as she needed when she was cold. But poor Kovit. As much as he complained about the heat of Peru, he didn’t have an easy way to stay warm. So he usually ended up a blanket burrito with a comforter covering him and his chair like a fort, with just his face and his hands sticking out. Diana and Nita had gone in together and gotten him a set of black leather shorty gloves with red dragons stitched on the backs, and Adair had gotten him a thick red scarf when Kovit refused anything like a heating pad for his station. Kovit claimed he didn’t want to trip a breaker by adding yet another power sucking device. Nita and Diana muttered to each other, wondering if it was Kovit’s way of maintaining some of his walls, protecting himself from relying  _ too  _ much on their care and affection. 

But Kovit seemed to enjoy his blanket fort, and he absolutely loved the gloves, wearing them all the time. So the girls set aside their worries, and just laughed at the contrast between the boys, Adair quite comfortable in what  _ appeared  _ to be tee-shirt and shorts, just to rub it in, while Kovit was a blanket covered lump, snuggled down in his chair. Kovit had gotten quite good at rolling around the workroom in his chair to pull files, rather than getting up from under his covers, and Adair had taken to calling him Tokyo Drift. There had been some spills, of course, and a few close calls, and Nita had had to stop Diana and Kovit’s plans of installing a motor and brake system on his chair by telling Kovit that if he was becoming an invalid that couldn’t walk across the workroom, then he obviously shouldn’t be doing the heavy lifting in the shop that he wanted to help with. When Adair saw the look on Kovit’s face after Nita said that, he completely lost control of his glamour over it, he was laughing so hard. Seeing Adair’s face morph through various different people at the same time, so that he had the beard of an old man and the face of a young woman, or a huge hooked nose on a baby’s face, or an old hag with the hair of a schoolboy, had everyone in stitches.

Nita and Kovit did cuddle a bit as Nita enjoyed her sweet treat for breakfast, Kovit regaling her with the story of his trip to get said treat. Apparently Abigail, the daughter of the owners, was working the front counter when he came in, and when he told her he was there to get them something for breakfast, they were joking when her mother came in. When her mother, through Abigail, asked where Nita was since Nita was the one that came in most often, Kovit had fibbed, saying he had snuck out to surprise her with the  _ pestiños _ when she woke up. Kovit wasn’t really paying attention to what Abigail was saying to her mother, since they were speaking Spanish, when all of a sudden Abigail yelped. Kovit was laughing.

“I don’t know what her mom said, but Abby turned so red I thought her head was going to explode! Then her mom said something else with a smirk, and suddenly Abby was fleeing towards the back, yelling,” ¡Por Dios y los santos, Madre!”, and her mom was chasing after her talking so fast I couldn’t even catch what  _ she  _ was saying, and I was left there holding my  _ buñuelos _ while your  _ pestiños _ were left tumbling out of the bag.” Nita was giggling as she nibbled a fritter and sipped her tea, and glanced up as customers came in. It was a couple of younger women who eyed Kovit as they entered, but he didn’t even look at them, his face lit up with laughter. Nita nodded hello to them with a bland smile when they glanced at her, and they hurriedly moved off to browse the shelves. Kovit had a wicked look in his eyes when Nita looked back at him, and she gave him a sincere smile.

“So what did you do?” she asked, and Kovit just grinned as he fed her another fritter. Nita nibbled his fingertips.

“What could I do? I didn’t want to disappoint my Bambi,” They both blushed, and Nita giggled as warmth filled her that had nothing to do with the food or the tea, “So I waited. I called out a couple of times, but there was so much noise from the kitchen from pots and pans being thrown around and them yelling at each other in Spanish, I don’t think either of them heard me. But her dad did. He came out front, shaking his head and trying not to laugh.” Nita laughed.

“Mr. Bolivar came out? Oh my, that had to have been fun. He doesn’t speak English, and you barely speak Spanish. How much pantomiming did you have to do?” Kovit snorted and choked on his drink.

“A lot. He saw the bag of dropped  _ pestiños _ , and looked around for you. I tried to think of how best to tell him you weren’t with me, and I know I butchered it. I said “Nita es casa.”” Nita bit her fist in mirth and Kovit nodded. “Yeah, Mr. Bolivar had the same reaction. I said I butchered it Nita. But he seemed to understand I was trying at least.”

“You were, and doing very well, go on.” Nita said through her giggles. A few more customers came in, this time a woman with two children. The woman didn’t even notice them at the register. Kovit moved his mug so he wouldn’t knock it over and leaned his hip against the counter.

“Well, we get through me placing the order for your  _ pestiños _ , and he bags them up fresh. Mind you, this whole time Abby and her mom are  _ still  _ fighting in the kitchen, and I  _ still  _ have absolutely no clue what they are saying, because they are speaking Spanish  _ way  _ too fast for me. But every few sentences Mr. Bolivar pauses and does his best not to burst out laughing, and my face is burning, and when he sees that he has to pause more,” Kovit rubs his face as another blush crosses it, and the younger women come up to the register to check out. Nita handles the register as Kovit wraps their purchases, and while the ladies giggle and glance at him, they don’t try to draw him into conversation, which Nita is grateful for. Kovit doesn’t seem to notice their attention, and Nita is surprised to find that she doesn’t mind the giggles as much. One of the women even gives Nita a look before glancing between them with raised eyebrows, and Nita gives her a small nod. That produced more giggles as the woman gave her a thumbs up, which caused Nita to blush, and the women left, whispering together. Kovit had bent down to get more bags, so he missed the exchange

“So you think you were the butt of some joke then?” Nita asked as the women walked away, and Kovit stood back up. He flashed her a grin.

“Oh, I know when I’m the butt of a joke Nita. Doesn’t matter what language it’s in, or if I speak it or not. I don’t think it was a cruel joke, but I was in the punchline somewhere.” Nita looked at Kovit with confusion.

“Why do you say that?”

“Mr. Bolivar wouldn’t let me pay for the food. And I’m pretty sure he complimented me for being a smart boyfriend.” Kovit’s grin turned smug as Nita’s confusion turned to shock. “Yup. I pulled out my wallet to pay, and he shook his head at me, and handed me the bag with the food, and said “No pay.” I probably looked the way you do now, because he finally laughed since I just stood there with my wallet out, staring at him. He pointed at the bag, and said, “Nita, si?” and I nodded, and he pointed to me and said, “Kovit, si?” and I nodded. Then he said something like  Nita y tú est-something junt-something, I don’t know.” Nita laughed. __

“ _ Nita y tú estamos juntos, ¿no? _ (Nita and you are together, yes?”)” Kovit nodded.

“That sounds about right. Either way, I’m staring at him like he’s an alien, and he laughs, then holds up one finger, and says, “Nita”, then a second finger and says “Kovit”, and then he crosses them and says, what was it, “Juntos”?” Kovit demonstrated by holding up his pointer finger with a grin, then his middle finger, before crossing them. Nita giggled and nodded, wrapping her arms around her middle. Her stomach was starting to hurt.

“Yes Kovit.  _ Juntos _ means together.” Kovit ran a hand through his hair with a bemused grin.

“Yeah, it took me a bit to figure out that was what  Mr. Bolivar was asking, if we were together. When I finally got it, I just blurted out “Novia” like I had figured out the meaning to the universe, which, in a way, isn’t wrong.” Kovit grinned as Nita blushed hotly, and he snuck in a quick kiss before Nita pushed him away as the customer with the children rounded a corner, browsing the shelves. Kovit chuckled as Nita pretended to be busy while the customer was in view. “Anyways, he nodded and repeated, “ _Si, novia y novio. Novio inteligente_. (Yes, girlfriend and boyfriend. Smart boyfriend.)” Didn’t really need him to point to his head for that one, but I appreciate the sentiment, considering I couldn’t understand most of what he was saying. There was some more yelling from the back, and Mr. Bolivar looks like he wants to cry from holding back his laughter. I motion to my wallet again, and he just shakes his head again and says “ _ Vete a casa _ . (Go home)” Nita wrapped her arms around Kovit in a hug, nestling her face into his throat.

“You had no idea what he said, did you?” she whispered, and she could feel Kovit shaking with laughter.

“I know casa means home. That was it. I’m surprised the poor man didn’t fly over the counter to strangle me. He just hangs his head a moment before sighing and then says “ _ Nita es casa, Kovit? _ ” I nod, and he looks at me like I should understand now, but I’m an idiot. He waves his hands at me and bursts out laughing, saying “No pay, no pay”, then he points at me, and points at the door, before saying,  “ _ Nita está en casa, ¿no? Vete a casa, Kovit. _ (Nita is at home, yes? Go home Kovit.)”” Nita was wheezing with laughter as Kovit held her tightly.

“He was telling you to come home to me Kovit!” She gasped, trying to get herself under control. They were swaying back and forth they were laughing so hard. Kovit pulled back just enough to kiss her again softly, then leaned his forehead against hers.

“I understand that  _ now  _ Nita. It just took  Mr. Bolivar practically chasing me from the store for me to get it. So today is Kovit, butt-of-the-joke day.”

“Apparently.” Nita agreed, hugging him tightly as her giggles calmed down enough that she was able to wipe her face and no new tears formed. They turned as the customer came up to the counter with her items and children in tow, and separated. “Sorry,” Nita said softly, and the woman smiled at her.

“Don’t be. It’s nice to see young people enjoying themselves. You don’t get that in the big department stores most of the time.” she replied, and her young daughter tugged on her sleeve. Bending down to the child, who was staring at Kovit, she asked “What is it sweety?” The girl’s eyes were large and innocent.

“I want to pet the birdies.” she said softly, her voice sweet, and her mother looked at her in confusion as Nita and Kovit worked on her order. The girl’s eyes never left Kovit, even as her mother looked around.

“What birdies sweetheart? They don’t have birds here.” She shifted the baby she was holding to her other shoulder as she glanced at the two at the counter who returned her confused look. The girl finally looked at her mother, a small frown on her face.

“He has a birdy from our tree in his hair, Mommy, right there.” She pointed at Kovit, and Nita couldn’t help but look at him. He looked the same. The woman glanced up and scrutinized Kovit for a moment before realizing her daughter was pointing at the white streak in his bangs. She laughed and kissed her daughter’s head before standing up.

“It’s just his hair, sweety, that has white color in it. It’s not one of our birds.” She told the child, who began to pout. Looking at Kovit and Nita, the woman explained. “We had black-and-white warblers that nested in our yard last spring and summer, and she wanted to keep them for pets because they were so cute. They’re around the size of sparrows, a little smaller, and the males have very bold stripes of black and white like your hair. They’re sweet song birds.” Kovit and Nita laughed with her, and Kovit looked at the girl, who was still pouting. They finished wrapping the woman’s purchase, and he brought it around the counter for her, then knelt down so he was more level with the girl. She looked at him shyly, her eyes sad.

“Hey,” he said softly, and she blinked at him, not responding. “I’m sorry I didn’t have one of your birds for you to pet. They sound really nice and soft. So, I have an idea. It’s not exactly the same, but if you want to, you can pretend that my hair really is one of the birds, and see if it’s as soft as you think they are.” Kovit gave her a little smile as the girl's eyes went wide with delight, and she looked up at her mother, who was smiling at them.

“If he says so, it’s ok.” she told her daughter gently, and Nita grinned. Diana had come up to the counter by then, and leaned her head on Nita’s shoulder as the three women watched the little girl break out into a beaming smile. 

“Really?” she asked Kovit, turning back to him, and he gave her a mischievous wink.

“I can even whistle.” he said with a grin, and began to do so. The girls tried to hold back their laughter as they recognized the tune from one of Kovit’s video games, and the girl burst into giggles as she reached out a hand when Kovit lowered his head so his bangs were easy for her to reach. She pulled back before she could touch though when she saw that Kovit was watching her, giggling harder as he laughed, then Kovit closed his eyes and began to whistle again. When the girl saw his eyes were closed, she reached out again, this time gently feeling his hair with her small fingers. Her face filled with wonder at the texture as she played with the dual colored strands, and when Kovit opened one eye to peek at her, his whistling never letting up, his face lit up with happiness. Nita leaned back into Diana, trying not to squeal at the cuteness, while Diana was giggling like mad.

“So soft…” the little girl whispered, then jumped and laughed when Kovit’s whistling broke into chuckles and she saw he was looking at her again. She turned suddenly shy and hugged her mom’s leg, peeking out at Kovit, who was still crouched down, smiling at her.

“As soft as the birds?” he asked, and she nodded happily, still beaming at him. “Good, I’m glad.” Her mom was smiling widely as he stood up.

“What do you say sweety?” and the girl giggled.

“Thank you!” she said in her soft voice, and hid her face in her mom’s leg again. Everyone laughed, and her mom beamed at everyone.

“Really, thank you.” the woman said, and Kovit shrugged with a grin. She shifted the baby in her arms again and made sure she had her bags before looking down at her daughter again. “Ready to go sweety?” The girl nodded and walked with the woman towards the door. When they got there, she opened it for her mom, then paused and looked back to wave.

“Bye!” the three waved back and the customers were gone, leaving them feeling warm and happy. Nita and Diana were a giggling mess, and Kovit just sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked at the two as they stared at him and elbowed each other, their faces full of glee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay more worldbuilding! The thought of Kovit being a blanket burrito amuses me to no end. I mean, come on, he's the only one of the four that has no way to adjust to the cold on his own, and I don't want to metagame too much! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE canon divergent stories. I read them all the time. But that's not what this story is supposed to be. I'm prideful enough to admit that I want to add to canon, make it grow. So I want to try and keep the characters IN character. And I don't know, but refusing a heater or heating pad just seems like a very Kovit thing to do. Male pride. And scooting around in a chair is just fucking fun. So yeah.
> 
> I guess I relate to Nita and Kovit so well because they are such an interesting mix of me and my hubby. Me and him have been together for 15 years now, so I think back over the things we've been through, and I think, could I see Nita doing X, or how would Kovit react to Y situation? How would it be similar or different than how we handled it? And then boom, new ideas and tangents for the story bloom in my head. Of course, Nita and Kovit aren't perfect parallels for us, some things about Nita fit hubby better than me, some things about Kovit fit me better, and some things about them don't really fit either of us, since we don't eat pain and can't speed up our bodily processes obviously. But that's ok, cause like our two murderous cinnamon rolls, we tend to do things a bit backwards ourselves, but it works for us. We make it work.
> 
> Anyways, I want to give a shoutout to everyone who has left a kudos and a comment, and to everyone who has read this little adventure so far. Thank you for the love. I was worried that it would fall flat, or that my sense of humor would miss the mark, since it so often runs either too dirty for most, or into gallows humor. So really. Thank you for the support. Until next time, keep being awesome! Blessed Be!


	8. Calm before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nita is quite worked up over Kovit's cuteness with the child, and he decides to do something about it. Then Rachael returns to the shop, and she brought a "friend". But is this friend as harmless as she seems? Nita doesn't think so. Come enjoy the shenanigans our favorite duo get up too.

“What?” Kovit finally asked when it looked like they were going to explode from suppressed squeals of delight, and they burst out laughing. He shook his head and walked back around the counter and picked up his drink as Nita wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

“That gave me diabetes Kovit!” Diana said, leaning on the counter and kicking up her heels. “I didn’t know you liked kids!” Kovit shrugged again.

“Eh, they’re not bad when they’re little, before they turn into assholes.” Kovit held Nita close as she hid her face, and felt her trembling. He glanced down, slightly worried. “It takes so little to make them happy at that age, to keep from turning them into assholes early. I may be an evil bastard, but I’m not heartless.” Diana laughed, then turned to the fridge. Kovit looked down at Nita again, seeing that she was taking huge, deep breaths with her face buried in his chest. He felt his heart squeeze. “Nita, are you ok?” he whispered, and she nodded. Kovit didn’t quite believe her, with the way she was squirming against him, and trying not to pant, it seemed like she was going to cry. He could also feel her heart racing as he ran his hands up her back. “Nita…” Kovit began, lifting her chin with a finger, before all the breath in his lungs whooshed out at the sight of Nita’s eyes. Her pupils were huge, blown wide with desire and lust. There was no mistaking that look, not when he had spent all last night staring into it. 

“Kovit…” Nita whimpered softly, and he snapped back to the present, glancing around quickly. The store was empty. Diana was still staring into the fridge, either debating what she wanted...or giving them a chance to escape. Kovit had no idea where Adair was. Kovit thought quickly. The shop itself was too risky, customers could catch them, anyone could. Upstairs...take too long, be too obvious with how creaky the stairs were. But the  _ stairwell _ ....now that was a possibility. Kovit smirked evilly and pulled Nita away from the counter, putting a finger to his lips as he watched Diana carefully. She was reaching into the fridge, but then pulled back, hesitating and muttering to herself.

“I don’t want to eat the last of the pudding cups, but I don’t have any cheese sticks here. Nita, if I replace the pudding, do you care if I eat it? ….Nita?” The ghoul glanced up and around when she didn’t get an answer, and found the shop was empty. Frowning in confusion, Diana looked around again, then shrugged and grabbed the pudding. “I’ll just replace it I guess.” She made a note on the whiteboard they had on the wall next to the fridge for that purpose, then hopped on the stool and popped in one of her earbuds to listen to music while she worked on her laptop and waited for customers. Techno music filled her ears as she bobbed her head along with the beat.

Meanwhile, Kovit had Nita pressed up against the wall opposite the door in the stairwell as he kissed her senseless. The door opened into the stairwell, so if someone tried entering, Kovit could block it with his foot. Nita whimpered as he pulled back and began to nibble on her throat.

“Kovit, we shouldn’t!” She whispered, even as her hands fisted in his shirt to pull him closer, and he smirked against her skin, making her burn with need. “Adair’s downstairs, Diana’s just outside. What if they hear us?” Nita gasped as Kovit gently bit her earlobe, and her eyes rolled back as his husky chuckle filled her hearing, sending shivers of delight down her spine.

“Then we should be quiet Nita. If you can..” Kovit challenged her, his voice smug, and Nita rolled her hips up into his, causing Kovit to groan harshly. He grabbed her hip firmly with one hand and pressed into her, his other hand going to her chest as she panted. “Or we can stop, if you want.” 

“No!” Nita mewled desperately and she pulled Kovit to her, one fist releasing his shirt to grab his hair as she kissed him deeply, and they both groaned lowly as Nita’s hips bucked up again. Kovit rocked back into her, and they broke their kiss to gasp and pant heavily, lost in the feeling of each other. Their lips met and parted as their tongues danced together, and Nita thought she would drown with pleasure. She tried to wrap her legs around Kovit’s waist to pull him closer, but could only succeed with one due to being upright instead of laying down. She let out a frustrated growl that caused Kovit to chuckle and shift forward, pressing her more firmly against the wall with a knee between her legs, which gave her the leverage to wrap more of herself around him. Nita moaned happily as she clung to his rocking form.

“Shuuush, Bambi.” Kovit groaned huskily in her ear, panting harshly as he pressed into her and squeezed her breast, making her moan again. “Shuuuush. If we can’t be quiet, we’ll have to stop.” Nita shook her head frantically as Kovit chuckled and nipped at her neck. She was doing her best already to not scream as he played with her chest, rolling and pinching her nipple through her clothes, making sparks dance in her vision. His face was full of wicked glee as he looked at her. “You don’t want to stop, do you?”

“No! No! Please, Kovit, NO!” Nita begged, her voice a high pitched whine. If he stopped now, Nita was sure she would die. “I want more. Please Kovit, please!! I need more!!” She pressed herself against him as firmly as she could, rolling her hips up to meet his pace, and Kovit hissed with pleasure. Nita was so beautiful like this, writhing in his arms with need, begging for his touch. Kovit wanted to hear her scream for him, but that could happen later. Right now, the forbiddenness, the chance of being discovered like this, had him pumped so full of adrenaline he was hard to the point of it hurting. But it didn’t matter. His satisfaction could wait, because all he wanted was to see Nita undone. Kovit bit at her neck again, making Nita pant and gasp.

“Bambi, if you can’t be quiet  _ now _ , how can I give you more?” He teased, rocking into her, driving them both crazy. Nita let out a desperate whimper, then grabbed the wrist of the hand that was playing with her breast, pulling it away from her. Kovit pulled back slightly, concern on his face, worried he had gone too far. But his concern evaporated immediately, as Nita pulled his hand up, and placed it over her mouth, holding it there. She kept her hand on his as she gave a little moan, and then she pressed his hand more firmly to her face, muffling the noise. Kovit’s mouth dropped open, but he kept his hand pressed firmly against her as Nita let her hand fall back to her neglected breast, rolling and squeezing it again as he watched. He felt his cock twitch at the sight, and pressed a groan back into a whimper. Nita felt it too, because she rolled her hips and reached for him with her free hand. Kovit snagged her wrist before she could get very far, and pressed her back up against the wall, rolling his hips up into her and pinning her hand above her head as he tilted it to the side so he could whisper in her ear.

“Not yet Nita,” He said, though he almost caved at the begging look in her amber eyes that stared at him above his hand. He swallowed hard as he fought to maintain the line of control between too rough that would cause her pain, and rough enough to satisfy her. “I can wait til tonight. But right now I want, no, I  _ need  _ to make you cum. I  _ need  _ to know that I’ve made you hit the moon and floated back down to me. I  _ want  _ to hear you scream, but…” Kovit chuckled darkly, and Nita’s eyes rolled back as he rocked into her, “Then we’d get caught and the game would be over. But my clever Bambi has found a way for us not to get caught,” Kovit gave Nita’s mouth a gentle squeeze as his other hand trailed down her arm, down her side, across the strip of skin on her belly where her shirt had ridden up until his fingers found the button of her jeans. Nita squirmed with excitement, her breaths escaping in little pants through her nose and whimpers in her throat as she tried to encourage Kovit to hurry.

“So I’m going to give you want you begged for, Bambi, since you’re such a good, clever, little fawn,” the mixture of Kovit’s voice and the feeling of her waistband loosening had Nita’s heart racing, and when she felt his hand reaching between her legs, she cried out, her tongue curling around one of Kovit’s fingers to draw it into her mouth. Nita’s eyes rolled back as she began to suck on his finger at the same time as his other ones pumped into her, their tempos matching. He still tasted like honey, and Nita knew she wasn’t going to last long, not with the feel and taste of him inside her and his voice drugging her brain. 

“Oh, yes, Nita, just like that, fuck, you’re so hot and wet, and your mouth feels so good!” Kovit pressed his face to Nita’s neck, trying desperately not to yell as she clawed at him, clutched at him, and there was an entirely different beast inside of him than the one that ate pain that was roaring with victory at her reaction to his touch. He kept his pace smooth and fast, as desperate as Nita to make her peak. The noises she was making could only be muffled so much, and they were getting to him. If she kept them up, he may not be able to wait til that night like he wanted too. And her tongue. Dear god, when she pulled his finger into her mouth, he damn near went through the roof. Kovit knew that Nita had no experience, and while he had none first hand, he at least had the benefit of the chat group’s conversations. So while Kovit felt overwhelmed and very lost, he at least had some idea of what he was doing, or at least, a vague direction of where he might want things to go. But whatever instinct Nita was following… Kovit thought he would swim through a sea of rusty nails buck ass naked if it meant he could follow her. If what she was doing to his finger was any indication of what oral was going to be like, he was doomed. Doomed, doomed, happily, thoroughly, completely doomed, and he better make damned sure he could reciprocate.

The thought made him twitch again, and Kovit shuddered as Nita bucked against him with a suppressed whine. He growled lowly in her ear as he felt her clench around his fingers, and upped his pace when she gasped, pulling his finger from her mouth to press his hand firmly against it to muffle her scream. Nita spasmed and dug her fingers into his back, and Kovit bit at her neck.

“Fuck yes, Nita! Cum for me! Let me make you cum! Please sweetheart, please!” Kovit begged as he watched her body go rigid, her eyes showing white as they rolled back. Nita was clenched so tightly that he couldn’t even move his fingers, so he rocked his hips into her, giving her just a bit more sensation, and Nita thrashed, a desperate whine escaping her throat. Then she slumped, her body relaxing against the wall and one leg falling from Kovit’s waist, thumping onto a step. Kovit glanced around and listened carefully, but didn’t hear anything from downstairs, and all he heard from the shop was Diana singing along to one of her techno songs. ~ _ Well, that explains Diana’s ignorance… _ ~ Kovit thought with a grin as he gentled the pressure on Nita’s face and pulled his hands from her pants. Nita gave a soft cry and her eyes fluttered open as Kovit began to lick his fingers clean, and his grin turned wicked as he looked at her flushed and satisfied face. “Feel better sweetheart?” he asked softly. 

Nita felt her face heat up more with Kovit’s burning look and gentle question, but she nodded and kissed his palm that still covered her lips. Kovit’s smile turned soft, and he turned his hand so that it was cupping her chin instead of covering her mouth. He kissed her deeply and guided her so that she was sitting on the steps as she tried to catch her breath. When they pulled apart and Nita tried to reach for his waistband again, he caught her wrists and kissed her again.

“Later Nita,” he said with a light chuckle as she pouted, pressing his forehead against hers. “Later, I promise.” 

“But Kovit…” Nita whined as he dodged her reaching hands again, and Kovit stepped back with a grin and adjusted his clothes. “You’re  _ soo  _ good to me..”

“And you can be good to me.  _ Later _ .” Kovit interrupted, running a hand through his hair to settle it back into place. “ _ I _ have work to do, and  _ you  _ need to catch your breath. Besides, anticipation is half the fun, and I started a trend last night. It wouldn’t do for me to get lazy and lose my lead now, now would it?” Kovit winked at Nita and hopped past her to the door, opening it slightly to peek out and make sure the coast was clear. Before leaving, he threw her a saucy look and licked a finger again. “By the way, you’re better than  _ buñuelos _ for breakfast.” Nita shuddered in delight as Kovit left, and leaned against the wall, giggling.

Kovit slipped back into the shop, and walked on silent cat feet to the fridge to grab a drink. Diana was dancing in her seat as she listened to her earbuds while she sat on the stool and worked on her laptop, and he had to hold back a chuckle. However, it was all for nothing as he accidentally bumped into her when he opened the fridge door, and she yelped in surprise, whirling around on the stool to glare at his innocent expression.

“Didn’t mean to scare you, Di, just needed a drink.” Kovit said, doing his best to keep any nerves from entering his voice as he grabbed a bottle of soda and opened it. Diana stared at him with narrowed eyes.

“Where did you two disappear too?” She asked, her eyes flicking over Kovit’s face before peering around the shop. Kovit kept his face bland and his eyes wide.

“Nowhere. I’m gonna go sweep.” He took a drink from his soda and walked away before Diana could ask him any more questions, though she glared suspiciously at his back as he left her view. Her eyes narrowed more as she heard him start to whistle a jaunty tune, and when she pulled her earbud out, she thought she heard giggling coming from the stairwell. Diana shifted her glare down at the empty pudding cup at the counter. She turned off her music and crossed her arms over her chest, listening carefully. Yup. That was definitely giggling. And the sound of someone trying to scoot down the stairs slowly so they wouldn’t creak and be heard. Diana had done it enough times to try and slip past Adair, drunk or not. She knew the sounds those stairs made.

Diana slipped off the stool and tiptoed to the door, putting her ear against it to listen. She heard Nita's voice mumbling and giggling, and her playful ire rose. If they thought they could sneak off to their room whenever and just leave her downstairs to be all alone and lonely to watch the shop...Diana slowly turned the knob, then quickly opened the door and stuck her head in the stairwell, expecting to catch Nita creeping down the stairs. But when Diana stuck her head in looking up, the stairs were empty. A look of confusion crossed her face until a squeak drew her attention to the bottom of the stairs, and Diana looked down into Nita's wide amber eyes and flushed face. Nita had one hand covering her mouth, and the other one was trying to fix the button on her pants, which was still undone. The smell hit her next, sweat and excitement and love and need, and Diana felt her jaw drop as the two stared at each other for a moment. 

"In the stairwell Nita?!" Diana exclaimed in a whisper, caught somewhere between horror and pride at her friend's antics "You have a perfectly good bed upstairs and you choose the stairwell?! Adair could have caught you!!" Nita burst into hushed giggles. 

"Kovit just started kissing me here. I mean, he gave me a choice, but it seemed as urgent for him as it was for me…" Nita replied, and Diana rolled her eyes as she made strangling motions in the air.

"It's still communal space Nita! You don't make a mess in communal space!" Diana hissed, and Nita grinned evilly. 

"We didn't." She said simply, still giggling, and Diana frowned at her a moment before pulling her head back out into the shop. She glanced around and listened, hearing Kovit still whistling. Not seeing any customers coming, she stepped into the stairwell and closed the door most of the way, leaving it cracked just a bit so she could watch for people, before turning back to Nita and crossing her arms.

"There is no way you two didn't have sex in here, I can smell it. Which means Adair is gonna smell it." Nita tried to glare, but was giggling too hard for it to be effective. 

"I told you Di, we aren't ready to go all the way…" Diana held up a hand with a grin.

"Call it what you want, foreplay, sex, whatever, all part of the same thing. And Adair is gonna give you two shit for getting off and making a mess in the stairwell. Just fair warning." Diana started to giggle at Nita's eye roll and sigh.

"Well, he better not be too hard on Kovit. We didn't make a mess. He wouldn't let me." At Diana's raised eyebrows, Nita started to giggle again. "He gave me mine…" Nita covered her face with her hands and went silent, causing Diana to fume.

"Girl, you better finish that sentence, or I'm gonna go grab my spoon to carve your heart out! You left me out there with just a damn pudding cup to comfort me!!" Nita peeked out through her fingers at Diana's frustrated face and hid again, but continued.

"He said I could be good to him later, then slipped back out into the shop before I could grab him!" Nita peeked out through her fingers again to see Diana pulling on her hair as she made dying pterodactyl noises, before she slumped against the door frame with a pout on her face. Diana was glaring out the door and muttering to herself.

"Lucky little mmmhmm...gah I need to get that replacement battery." She glanced at Nita, who looked sheepish, and Diana's expression softened "Oh, I'm not mad Nita. Jelly, but not mad. And I'm not replacing the pudding now." The girls giggled together. Nita brushed her hair back.

"S'ok. We need to get groceries today anyways, I'll get more. I can grab you batteries while we're out if you want. I might have to just grab more underwear too, otherwise laundry is gonna kill us!" Diana laughed out right at that, and Nita bit her lip. "Is it always like this?" Diana nodded.

"The hot and heavy first rush? Yeah, pretty much. You  _ will  _ calm down eventually, and get your equilibrium back, I promise. And while I appreciate the offer to grab it, I don't think the store you're going to will carry the battery I need" Diana grinned as Nita worked out what she meant and blushed. 

"Oh." Nita said, and Diana nodded.

"Yeah. That's alright though. We need a girls night out soon anyway." At Nita mortified squeak, Diana nodded again and cackled. "Oh yes. Number 1, pay back. Number 2, battery replacement. But most importantly is Number 3." Nita's eyes went wide.

"Number 3?" She asked nervously, and gulped as Diana leaned forward to leer at her.

"Wally-world panties are fine for everyday wear Nita, but if Kovit is already working this hard to be  _ this  _ good to you, he deserves a treat. You do too. So Number 3." Diana held up three fingers with a grin as Nita leaned forward, listening intently when she mentioned Kovit. "Lingerie. And with your body Nita, the possibilities are endless!" Diana giggled as Nita bounced with excitement, then glanced back into the shop as the doorbell jingled. "Shit. Customers. Go clean up. Don't try to be quiet, just hurry." Nita was giggling like mad as she scrambled up the stairs, and Diana went back out front.

The rest of the morning was fairly uneventful, with Nita and Diana waiting on the smattering of customers that came through, and Kovit sweeping up the snow and salt they tracked in over the wooden floors. It was a typical Saturday morning in the shop for them, except that Adair avoided them. They left him alone, with Nita and Diana giving Kovit the shorthand version of the conversation, and Nita promised to explain everything later. What little they told him caused Kovit to wince in sympathy as it was.

“Damn. I never expected to learn that much about Adair. Henry introduced us, when we were up here for a job. We met at the restaurant because he needed info, and Adair made the joke about going for the swim in the lake. Henry made a remark about Adair’s wife not appreciating him swimming with other women, since we had a few with us, and Adair turned it around by saying she would have just laughed and asked to stop and grab some ice cream before they had dessert. I admit, I was confused, and it must have shown, because Adair explained he was a kelpie, and that his wife had passed some years before. I said I was sorry to hear that, and Adair seemed to lose his anger at Henry, agreed to help us. Adair never brought her up to me again, and Henry certainly never did.” Kovit seemed lost in thought, while Nita and Diana shared a look, one filled with loathing. Diana set a hideous Hawiian hula girl on the shelf she was stocking a little harder than she needed too, and the girl swayed from the force.

“Henry sounds like he was a right…” Diana paused and chewed on her words as Nita shot her another look, shaking her head slightly. Kovit was still staring into space, the broom in his hand still. Diana took a deep breath. “A right interesting kind of guy.” she finished lamely, and dug into the box that Nita was holding for her. They were in the toy section, and the weird collection of dolls creeped Nita out. She didn’t know what it was, but if she was going to be surrounded by lifeless eyes, she wanted them to be in glass jars, where she could see all of them, not in porcelain faces. At least when they were in jars, Nita could be sure the eyes weren’t connected to anything else. When they were in a doll, it was menacing, like there was a brain inside it, plotting. Nita didn’t like it. She had enough people plotting against her already. She shook herself as Kovit scoffed.

“Yeah, interesting. He was an asshole, Diana. Don’t feel bad. You didn’t make him that way, and I get it. You care.” Kovit gave Diana a lopsided smile as he swept around their feet, tickling their ankles. The girls laughed as the heavy moment passed, and Kovit began to whistle again. They finished up in the toy section and headed back to the counter, and Kovit stopped at the closet to put the broom away since the store was empty of customers. They sat down, and Nita pulled the notebook back over to her so she could work on the list for the store. It was mostly things that could be warmed up or have hot water added to them to cook. Or else things like yogurt or condiments they were running out of. Nita sighed happily as she worked, listening to Kovit and Diana talk. Diana was helping Kovit with some of his Algebra homework that he was still having issues with. 

"Still don't know why they added letters and numbers together" Kovit muttered darkly, and Diana rolled her eyes as Nita giggled. Diana walked him through the equation again, trying to be patient as Kovit clutched at his hair. The three looked up in relief as the doorbell rang, only to have Nita and Kovit blanch as Rachael walked through the door. There was another young woman with her, a brunette with green eyes and pale skin. For some reason, Nita's eyes were drawn to her instead of Rachael, even though the blonde was far more striking and wore more stylish clothes. Rachael was also wearing a sulky look that did her no favors. The brunette had a sly and devious look about her, as if her very plainness were a disguise. Nita felt her nerves come alive. As the two came up to the counter, Diana looked up and smiled warmly. 

"Hello ladies, is there something we can help you look for today?" She asked, and the brunette returned her smile with a small one of her own. Rachael glanced at Kovit, who kept his eyes on his homework even as he grinned meanly, then shot a glare at Nita who just looked at her blandly. She wasn't her mother, she didn't need to gloat or bask in this girl's unhappiness. But if she wanted to start shit, well, Nita could finish it just fine. Rachael looked away, and Nita noticed that the brunette had seen everything. Nita narrowed her eyes at the young woman, whose smile just grew, and flickered for a brief moment. 

"Yes, thank you. I'm looking for Adair. He was supposed to find me something, and I wanted to check to see if he had a chance to yet. I know he said it might be a bit, but I'm very anxious to get started on my project. It's something only _he_ can help me with." The brunette's voice was low, but pleasant, and Diana's eyes widened for just a moment before her face froze into the classic customer service smile. Nita's guard went up, and she felt Kovit tense. Rachael was oblivious to the tension and was fiddling with the magazine rack.

"I see." Diana said pleasantly, and took a deep breath. "Well, Adair didn't say anything about a client coming in, so I don't think he's found your item yet, but he is downstairs today, so he may be looking for it. Problem is, if we don't know where it is, we don't know which storage space Adair is in, and it could take us a while to find him. We could have him call you when he comes up later, or if you really need to speak with him now, we can try to find him, but it could be a while." Diana gave the woman a pained smile, as if to say, 'What can you do?'. The smile on the brunette's face turned razor thin, and went wide. Too wide. Nita felt her whole attention focus on the young woman pretending to debate on disturbing Adair, not even noticing the sighs and eye rolls that Rachael was giving everyone. 

"Well, he already has my number…" the woman trailed off, a finger to her lips. Nita scrutinized every inch of her face as closely as she could without getting caught. Her pupils were dilating and contracting too much for the light in the shop, they should be steadier. And were her lips fuller than when she came in? "I really would like to talk with Adair sooner rather than later, if I could please." Diana nodded.

"Kovit, would you go check downstairs for him please?" She asked, and Kovit looked up at her, nodding. Nita kept her eyes locked on the brunette, narrowed in thought. "Make sure you check the far back rooms." It was their code for using the sonar. Kovit stood up and glance at the brown haired woman.

"And who should I say is asking for him?" He asked. There! A flicker across the face. The lips were definitely a slightly different shape, and the green of her eyes a bit lighter as the woman smiled at Kovit, and he blinked.

"Akasha." She said, and Kovit nodded to her before heading to the stairs. Akasha followed his journey until she turned and saw Nita staring at her. They locked gazes as Diana was telling her and Rachael to feel free to browse while they waited, and Akasha winked at Nita, revealing one yellow eye while the other remained green. They stayed that way for a moment until Rachael called for her attention, then Akasha blinked, and went to her friend's side. Nita clenched her hands into fists below the counter where no one could see them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buwahahahaha!!!! Naughty Kovit and Kinky Nita give me life!!!!! I feel like a teenager again. 
> 
> So another minor short one to tide you all over! I have gotten to the end of the already written stuff I had worked on, so updates are gonna start to be more sporadic from now on. Believe me, I'm still working on this, not gonna stop, but I can't promise an update schedule. I want the quality to stay good. But I'm not gonna just forget about this, my brain has been fixated on this for a good long time now. It just takes me a while to type. I probably should've doled out these other chapters a little slower, but I'm horrible with hiding presents, like if I try to buy something for someone's birthday or Christmas early, I can't wait. Two days later, I'm like...."Wanna see what I got you?". And these chapters are my present to you guys. So while I may be slower, I won't forget you. 
> 
> Anyways, Dun Dun Dun!! Cliffhanger!!! We love to hate them, hate to love them. Either way, let me know what you think. And until next time, stay safe, stay comfy, stay out of jail! Blessed Be everyone!


	9. Desires Revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn why Akasha is seeking out Adair.

As the two went to walk around the store, Diana glanced over at Nita and saw that she was standing as rigid as a statue. The ghoul frowned in concern and placed a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder, causing Nita to flinch and stare at her.

“Nita, what’s wrong?” Diana asked softly, glancing at the women quickly as Rachael made a loud complaint that Akasha quelled with a menacing look. She looked back at Nita, seeing that her friend was watching them like a hawk. “Were they here yesterday? When you and Kovit...you know?” Nita took a deep breath, trying to relax her muscles as she shook her head slowly. She couldn’t look away, even though Akasha didn’t glance back at her.

“No. I mean, maybe Akasha was, if she was the “friend” that needed to pick things up later. Rachael was the one that tried to flirt with Kovit and fled when he didn’t respond. That doesn’t matter now though,” Nita spoke quickly at Diana’s outraged gasp, pulling her close and whispering in her ear. “It doesn’t. I don’t think Akasha is here for information Di. No matter how stressed Adair was this morning, he would have told us if she asked for something like that last night. He doesn’t forget that. She’s after something else.” Diana pulled away and looked at Nita worriedly, seeing the laser focus that Nita had when she glanced at the blonde and brunette as they walked around the shop.

“What do you think she’s after?” Diana asked, her voice very low. Nita looked back at her, her amber eyes full of fear.

“That I don’t know. But I don’t like the fact that she said  _ only  _ Adair could help her. Not when she’s a kelpie.” Diana gasped, and Nita grabbed one of her hands and squeezed, her eyes going hard. “Don’t Diana. Keep your cool. We’ll see what game she’s playing, and make sure she doesn’t win it if it’s one we don’t like. Adair didn’t say anything, remember? It could be nothing. I’ve been wrong before. I just don’t like this. You know how I get.” Diana gave her a shaky grin at that.

“Overly paranoid?” Diana giggled tensely, and Nita grinned.

“Optimistically cautious is the term I prefer.” Nita snarked, and Diana laughed more naturally.

“Nita, you border on paranoid schizo. Speaking of which,” Diana lowered her voice again, and leaned in closer, “How were you two able to stay  _ so  _ quiet in the stairwell? I know I was listening to music, but I didn’t have it up  _ that  _ loud. According to Adair, last night you were  _ screaming,  _ screaming. I know the thought of getting caught can give some a rush, but that seems like an odd kink for you..” Nita grinned widely. 

“Honestly, I didn’t think about that after the first few seconds. I was too caught up in the moment. When Kovit teased me about stopping if I couldn’t be quiet, I made him cover my mouth with his hand so he wouldn’t.” Nita shrugged as Diana stared at her with glee, and felt her face heat up. She glanced around and saw that Akasha and Rachael seemed to be having their own heated discussion further on in the shop. Nita frowned for a moment before she saw that Diana was looking at her expectantly still, and she laughed and shrugged again. “I told you, I have no idea what I’m doing! It just seemed like the right thing at the time. And it felt  _ really  _ good for some reason…” Nita trailed off with a sheepish giggle as Diana cackled.

“Oh honey. You are gonna find out  _ soo  _ much about yourself. This is just the tip of the iceberg. You and Kovit will figure it out. At least it’s with someone who genuinely loves you.” Diana’s eyes went soft, and she smiled sweetly at Nita, who smiled back and fiddled with her pen.

“Yeah. I just worry we’re rushing things. I don’t want to ruin what we have.” Diana nodded thoughtfully as she followed Rachael’s movements as the two women split up for a bit. Nita kept an eye on Akasha.

“I get that. It’s not like talking has to stop just because sex has started Nita.”

“That’s not what I meant Di.” Nita let out a huff, both at Diana’s words, and because Akasha turned a corner out of view. “Seeing him with that little girl, oh my god. I felt like my insides were exploding.” Nita face planted onto the counter and Diana gave an evil grin.

“Nita,  _ my  _ ovaries started to skip around watching that. And I’ve never given much thought to kids. Although the thought of miniature versions of the two of you running around is fucking adorable! Aww, a little girl with Kovit’s eyes and your hair! I could be an Auntie!!” Diana cooed and wiggled on her stool, and Nita side-eyed her from her slumped over position on the counter.

“Thanks Diana. Making this so much easier.” Nita said dryly, and Diana grinned “Though to be honest, I was imaging a little boy with my eyes and Kovit’s hair.” Nita snorted as Diana cooed again. “Who’s to say I should even be thinking like this? What kind of mother could I ever hope to be Di? Mine was shit...ouch” Nita yelped as Diana smacked the back of her head. Rachael glanced over at them. Diana smiled warmly at her.

“Papercut.” She said as an explanation, and Rachael rolled her eyes before setting down the fairy statue she was looking at and moving on to stand with Akasha at another shelf. Diana gave her the stink eye before turning it on Nita, who was rubbing the spot that was smacked. “You are not your mother Nita. Kovit is not Henry. If you two decide to have kids, you will do things your way. Like I said earlier, will you fuck up? Yes. None of us are perfect. But you will do a damn sight better than your parents. And you’re not alone. You guys have me, and you know you have Adair. With him for an uncle, you’ll end up with Olympic swim team winners on your hands.” The two laughed together over the image as Rachael came back up to the counter, pouting. Akasha was glaring at her back. Diana and Nita both looked at Rachael with raised brows.

“Everything ok?” Diana asked, and Rachael shrugged, poking through the magazines again.

“Kasha won’t leave until she’s talked with this Adair person, and it’s taking forever.” Rachael’s voice was sullen, and she heaved a sigh. “You really don’t know how long it will take for him to come upstairs? This place is just full of junk.” Nita gave her a bemused look as Diana grinned. Nita pointed to the pile left in the middle of the store, thinking about their cover story for regular customers. Ever since people had followed her and Kovit there, they had had to work with Adair to come up with a smooth lie to explain the mess and time it took to get him when he was away feeding.

“See the pile over there?” Nita said, and Rachael glanced at it, nodding. Nita leaned up on her elbows, propping her chin in her hand with a grin. “The whole store used to look like that. Ever since the four of us went in and bought this place last year, we’ve been working on cleaning it up and turning it around. The previous owners let it go  _ bad _ . The storage rooms downstairs are even worse. It’s only been in the last 5 months or so since Kovit and I got back that we’ve made real headway up here on the main floor.” Rachael looked confused.

“But I thought Kovit was the one from…” She bit her lip and blushed deeply. Nita grinned cruelly, and Diana turned back to her laptop.

“You thought he was the zannie from the magazines. The one from the trials.” Nita’s voice was sharp, and Rachael glanced away, nodding. Nita let her voice go softer, and she dropped her cruel smile to a look of neutrality. “He is Rachael. And I’m Nita Sanchez. The one that’s been with him through everything. Including the paparazzi circus.” Rachael looked back at her, reappraising Nita. Nita sighed and thought about their vague cover story again. “We were trying to go straight when we got this place, when Kovit’s family outed him to INHUP. Have you ever seen what people do to zannies that have been put on the DUL Rachael?” The woman shook her head, and Nita sighed. “I thought so. If you don’t mind me asking, you said you were going to UoT. What are you studying?” Rachael blinked.

“Conservation Sciences. My mother started an organization that she still runs, and my internship this summer is going to be out in the field since I turned 19. I’m going to  the Oana reserve in Namibia.” Nita nodded with appreciation. Diana watched in fascination as Nita picked up the pen she had been using to write her shopping list and spin it on her knuckles like a knife. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Akasha had come to the end of an aisle and was leaning against the shelf, listening intently.

“That sounds like a very worthy cause to work for. Have you ever worked in the field before, with animals?” Rachael nodded, and Nita smiled broadly. “Then you’ve seen animals take down prey before? Seen them make kills?” Rachael blanched, and shook her head no. Nita frowned at her, a look of confusion on her face. “But you said you’ve worked in the field. Surely you’ve come across feeding sites with carcasses then?”

“I’ve worked in the field doing habitat restoration, and I’ve worked on reservations and zoos feeding animals already prepared food. What’s your point? I don’t go looking for roadkill.” Rachael snarled, looking queasy, and Nita raised a brow with a small smile. 

“My point is, it’s all part of the animals you’re trying to preserve Rachael. If the meat you fed them was already prepared, I’m gonna take a guess and say you’ve never helped to prepare it, aka, never broke down an animal or performed a dissection. Which means you’re missing vital information on how the animals you’re trying to help function. You can’t fully understand how something, or  _ someone _ , interacts with the outside world, if you don’t understand how they function internally. Physically, or, in the case of people, mentally.” Nita kept her gaze locked on Rachael, and the blonde gulped. 

“We’re not talking about animals anymore, are we?” she asked softly, and Nita smirked at her.

“Oh we are Rachael. Just because we humans have egos the size of this planet that we’ve ravaged doesn’t change the fact that we’re still animals, same as every other creature that crawls, flys, swims, or wiggles across the face of this earth. But on the flip side of that, we’re  _ people  _ Rachael. You’re a person, I’m a person. Kovit’s a person. And yes, he’s a zannie. Zannies don’t get to  _ choose  _ to eat pain. Anymore than a gazelle gets to  _ choose  _ to eat grass, or a leopard gets to  _ choose  _ to eat the gazelle.” Nita’s eyes went hard and unyielding, and Rachael gulped again. Diana saw a small smirk work it’s way onto Akasha’s face as she leaned back. “If you don’t eat, you starve. You starve, you die. Kovit’s not a monster because he eats pain, anymore than the leopard is one because it eats the gazelle.”

“But if he’s hurting people to get it…” Rachael cut off as NIta’s head snapped up and she glared at the blonde. 

“When the village makes your very existence illegal, because they fear you will come for their sheep instead of the gazelle, what do you do Rachael? When humans move into your territory, push your prey out, and then start to hunt you down when they catch wind of your existence. Where do you find your food then? Where is safe? What about the species that have a symbiotic relationship with yours? Or the ones that look like you but aren’t related to you, don’t hunt the same prey as you?” Rachael had the good grace to look down. “You said yourself you’ve never seen the mob violence that the DUL has incited. There were at least 2 men in Argentina that were beaten, and one that was accosted, just for looking similar to Kovit, when INHUP put his information up early. Countless others have died because of that damn list.” Rachael glared up at Nita, lifting her chin even as a blush spread across her porcelain features.

“So you’re telling me INHUP is responsible for the actions of zannies then? That’s bullshit!” Nita rolled her eyes in frustration.

“No. What I’m saying is that if you bait an animal into fighting, give it no choice but to rip and tear to preserve it’s life, that’s what it will do. Don’t stand there and be a hypocrite, don’t tell me if someone were to try to kill or rape you, you wouldn’t reach deep down inside and find the monster that lives inside you to at least try to save yourself. Regardless of what feelings you might have afterwards, or how effective it was, you would still try to survive.” Rachael gapped at Nita, and Nita shrugged at her, her face bland. “I’ve been dealing with mine for long enough, I know what I’m talking about. So really Rachael, there’s no sense being a hypocrite. And don’t be one about Kovit either. It sucks to be rejected, but he’s a person, not a fantasy. So if you’re gonna pout and sulk, please do it somewhere else. It’s getting annoying. Kovit’s wants and needs have to be considered too. Speaking of which,” Nita turned to Diana with a puzzled look. “How do guys go through so many socks? You’d think we had a pet dog that was using them for a chew toy with how many I found that had holes in them.” Diana just laughed and shrugged, and Ntia rolled her eyes. When she looked back at Rachael, Nita was pleasantly surprised to see a small smile on her face. The blonde twiddled her thumbs for a moment before answering.

“Guys have thicker nails than girls do, and don’t usually maintain them as much. Especially on their feet. You don’t see many guys in the salon getting pedicures.” Diana and Rachael giggled, and Nita grinned, feeling a phantom twinge in her missing toe.

“I got the short straw in genetics on that one,” Diana quipped, grinning, “I inherited my Dad’s toes. No sandals or open ended shoes for me!” Nita laughed.

“Good thing we’re in Toronto then, huh?” Rachael said, and the three looked at each other before chorusing, “BOOTS!!” They laughed for a few moments together, before Rachael calmed back down, a small smile still on her face. “Now that’s a shopping trip I could get behind. Kasha, I’m gonna head over to Starbucks for a drink while you wait for this Adair guy. I have homework to do anyway.” Akasha gave a small nod, and Rachael glanced back at Diana and Nita. “Sorry for being a bitch.” Nita shrugged.

“Me too. Like I said, I get it. And if you get a chance, you really should take the Biology Lab taught by Rutherford. She’s awesome. If it’s the smell that worries you, there’s different flavored gels you can buy to put under your nose. Peppermint, cherry, that sort of thing. Stay away from the strawberry though, it’s too faint to do much good. Or wear really strong smelling chapstick.” Nita smiled and stood up, pulling the notebook back towards her, and Rachael nodded thoughtfully.

“Thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.” She said, then waved and headed out the door. Nita nodded to her and Diana smiled and waved. They stayed silent as the blonde closed the door gently behind her, then looked over at Akasha. She had a razor thin smile on her plain face, and her eyes were cold and calculating as she stared at them intently. She began to clap her hands slowly and softly as she pushed herself off and away from the shelf she was leaning on, walking towards them. ~ _ No _ .~ Nita thought as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. ~ _ Not walking. Stalking. _ ~

“Diana, go grab us some more water please.” Nita spoke quietly, but her voice rang out in the silence of the shop. Akasha stopped moving, tilting her head slightly. Her hands stayed clasped. Diana glanced between the two, trembling slightly.

“Nita, are you sure?” she asked, and Nita nodded, not looking away from Akasha’s green eyes.

“I’m sure. I want some more  _ tea _ . So bottles from the closest should be fine.” Diana nodded, and the smile on Akasha’s face grew as she watched the ghoul leave the counter and head over to the storage closet. They kept extra packages and jugs of bottled water that didn’t fit under the counter there, along with the cleaning supplies. When Diana moved out of easy view, Akasha turned her unnerving stare back to Nita.

“Do you take all compliments so well, Ms Nita?” she asked, her voice a sibilant hiss. Nita didn’t flinch, just kept her face as bland as possible while she stared the brunette down.

“This doesn’t feel like a compliment, Ms Akasha. In fact, it feels very much like a threat.” Akasha threw her head back with laughter, and when she faced Nita again, her eyes were a deep emerald color. Diana came back with several bottles of water, and Nita filled up the tea kettle again. Diana set her laptop under the counter just in case, and the two leaned against it as the brunette calmed down.

“Oh now, don’t deny me my fun. It’s so rare I get to match wits with someone who's intelligent enough to know when they’re being played with. But I have to say, that was very well done, handling Rachael so well. You got her to not only leave the building in a good mood, you did it after telling her off for sniffing around your mate and sulking when it didn’t work, made her apologize for being a bitch,  _ and  _ she  _ thanked  _ you for the experience. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were an incarnation of one of those deities you humans go on about. Maybe you are proof of their existence, I can’t handle Rachael like that.” Nita glared at her flippant tone, and Diana’s face twisted with distaste. Akasha sounded like Rachael was a pet that was a hassle to maintain.

“If Rachael is such a pain in the ass, then why stay around her? Is she a tool, a distraction, or a shield?” Diana growled, and Akasha’s eyes filled with malice.

“ _ ¿Por qué no los tres?  _ (Why not all three?) Not that it really matters now.” Her face smoothed back out, and the malice faded from her eyes as Diana folded her arms over her chest and Nita stood up, flipping the switch of the kettle to on.

“Right. Because I was able to get her to leave without starting a catfight. Hence her usefulness as a distraction failed.” Nita said blandly, and wrote a few more items down on her grocery list. “I’m guessing she was your tool last night, to confirm that this was the right shop that you needed, since you’re looking for Adair. And since I sent her off without a fight, she can’t really be used as a shield. Though what a kelpie needs with a human shield is beyond me, though I guess with as pretty as she is, she helps you blend in better. People don’t tend to remember the “plain friend” as much as the blonde bombshell, right?” Nita raised an eyebrow as she smirked up into Akasha’s unsmiling face. Her green eyes were cold and unblinking. Hungry. Nita’s smirk grew. “You’d do better at hiding if you had a regular name, but a woman has to be vain about  _ something  _ I suppose. Even kelpies aren’t immune to  _ that _ .” Akasha’s face flickered, and for a moment it resembled Rachael’s classic profile before returning to a forgettable face. Diana sniggered and the kelpie glared at her for a moment before turning her attention back to Nita, who hadn’t changed her response at all.

“Have me all figured out, do you? Think you’re a clever, observant little  _ mon-key _ ?” Akasha drawled, and smirked meanly at Diana’s indigent gasp of “Rude much?”. She slid her eyes over to the ghoul and bared her human teeth in a flickering smile as she spoke. “As Nita said herself, we’re  _ all  _ animals. Your ancient ancestors climbed in trees and balanced with tails. Ergo,  _ monkeys _ . Just because you left the trees and lost the tails doesn’t change the fact that you’re still monkeys.”

“Apes, actually.” Nita said in a bored tone, playing with the pen again, leaning against the counter. “This is why biology classes are important. Humans fall under the ape classification. Monkeys are our biological cousins in the evolutionary tree.” Akasha rolled her eyes.

“Potato, potatoe….” she started, and Nita snorted with laughter.

“Since you feel that way, how about I call you “Swamp Thang”. After all, kelpies hatch from eggs into the water and rotting corpses. I bet the smell must be lovely.” Diana covered her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing, and Nita’s eyes danced with glee as outrage filled Akasha’s flickering face.

“How dare you…” she whispered, and Nita rolled her eyes. Diana was clutching her side as she shook from held back giggles.

“Oh, I’m sorry Ms  _ Thang _ ! I didn’t realize you couldn’t handle your own shit being handed back to you!” 

“I’m going to rip out your sarcastic tongue and make you eat it. We’ll see how clever you feel then, little monkey!” Akasha growled, and took a step forward, her long, needle-like teeth showing through her glamour. She paused though when Nita slapped the counter with a hand and let out a full bellied laugh.

“Oh my god, that has to be, what, the fourth time I’ve heard some version of that threat? I’m pretty sure Henry said something like that when I caught him in his lie about figuring out where Kovit was after we burned the Death Market,” Nita started marking off on her fingers as she giggled, turning to Diana who had tears of mirth running down her face, which was turning red from holding everything in. “Breath Diana, breathing is important! Wait, wait, wait. First there was Boulder, who was this black market dealer. He literally said he was going to cut out my tongue, but that  _ he  _ was going to be the one to eat it.” She turned to Akasha, who was staring at her in shock, her mouth human again and gapping open. Nita nodded to her enthusiastically. “I know right? He had this thing about eating parts of people, thinking he would gain their abilities. Like, “Dude, you already ate my  _ toe _ , I don’t want to French you by proxy! That’s gross.” Ah well, he was killed and eaten by Mirella and her dolphins, so fair is fair. He ate her eye. That was fun to watch. Him getting killed. I didn’t see him eat Mirella’s eye, though I’m guessing it went much the same as my toe.” Diana was wheezing with laughter as Akasha stared at the two.

“Tangents Nita!” Diana gasped, and Nita nodded.

“Right, right, right. So first was Boulder, then Henry, then...shit, I know there was one more, who was it?” Nita narrowed her eyes and bit her lip in thought as Diana tried to catch her breath and Akasha stared dumbfounded at their antics. “Not Gold, she’s more sarcastic than  _ me _ ! Was it the guy that killed Fabricio’s father and took his place, or was it Andrej? One of them, in either case, doesn’t matter at this point really. I’m starting to see a trend Diana!” Nita looked at her friend with a shiteating grin, and the ghoul was wiping tears from her eyes.

“What, are you finally admitting that you have an attitude problem?”

“No!  _ No _ , no,  _ I  _ have an attitude.  _ People  _ have problems with it. That doesn’t make it  _ MY  _ problem!” Nita replied, causing Diana to burst out laughing again, then she turned back to Akasha with her grin intact. “Anyway, Ms  _ Thang _ . Where were we? Oh yes, you were threatening to rip out my tongue because I was handing you your own shit back. Please, continue.” Nita put her chin in her hand, her eyes twinkling with glee as she watched Akasha gape at her in shock.

“You’re crazy…” The female kelpie muttered, and Nita nodded happily.

“Pretty much, yes. So we can keep this going all night if you want, or we can cut to the chase and you can tell us why you’re really here, and what you want with Adair. Because believe me,” Nita felt her grin go wide and cracked, her gaze locked on the woman in front of her. “Crazy isn’t the half of what you’ll get, if you intend to harm him.” Diana’s laughter was slowly petering out to mean sounding chuckles, and Akasha’s face took on a bewildered look as she rapidly glanced between the two behind the counter.

“What in the world are you two thinking?” She cried out in frustration, “Why in the world would I want to harm a male of my species? Do you have any idea how long I’ve searched for one?” Diana’s laughter died, and she shared an uneasy look with Nita. Nita felt the bottom of her stomach drop out.

“What?” Diana asked, her voice rough. Akasha glared at her, then pointed a finger at Nita.

“I want what she has. I’m not here to hurt Adair, I’m looking for a mate!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, shorter chapters seem to be a thing these past few times. I'm sorry. But the natural chapter breaks seem to fall that way, and like I said before, I don't want these to become too unwieldy. 
> 
> Living with Kovit and Adair, you just know Nita's sass level has risen to new levels. I can't wait for you guys to get the next chapter. I'm already most of the way done with it, like I said, my brain won't leave me alone. I just have to stop every now and then to let a scene percolate. 
> 
> So let me know if you love it or hate it. Which Oc do you want to see more of? Until next time, I love all of you. Stay safe and healthy! Blessed Be!


	10. Don't you know, you don't interrupt girl talk?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nita and Diana put a kelpie, or two, in their places. It's never a good idea to push the quiet, gentle ones over the edge.

There was a ringing silence throughout the shop after Akasha’s outburst, and Nita saw the blood drain from Diana’s face as the ghoul swayed slightly. Nita’s mind started to race as quickly as her heart. If Akasha was here, looking for a mate, after searching for a long time, that would mean she wasn’t able to find an unattached male elsewhere. As long as Adair had looked, and searched, and waited, to find Sydney, it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that Adair was one of few, if not _the only_ , unattached male of breeding age. As rare as it was to find any kelpie, how hard was it to find another to mate with? Diana was making squeaking noises, before finally clearing her throat.

“You want, I mean, ah, you’ve asked Adair to help you to find another kelpie? Like a dating service?” Diana asked, a note of desperation in her voice. Nita closed her eyes for just a moment as her heart stuttered. Oh god, why?

“Why would I come to one male to ask to find another? Adair isn’t bonded.” The confusion in Akasha’s voice was genuine, and Nita heard Diana’s sharp inhale. She reached out and grabbed Diana’s hand, squeezing it tightly.

“No, he isn’t, because Sydney _died_! Adair is still mourning her. He told me he would never have another mate.” Diana hissed, and Nita’s eyes popped open as she heard Akasha scoff. The kelpie was looking at them with derision.

“He told me the same last night. Human sentiment that our species can ill afford. Why he _insists_ on pandering to you lesser creatures, I haven’t the foggiest clue anyways. I intend to change his mind.” The haughty, self satisfied look on her face tripped Nita’s temper, and she moved without thinking. Grabbing her mug of warm tea, she stalked around the counter until she was almost nose to nose with Akasha.

“Excuse you?” Nita growled “If you think for one second that we will stand by while you try to coerce Adair, you are _so_ fucking wrong. I don’t give a damn if you were the very last viable female kelpie on the face of this planet, that doesn’t give you the right to rape my friend!” Akasha’s chin rose in the air, and Nita had to resist the urge to deck it.

“Our species is _dying_. We don’t have the luxury to give into sentimentalities if we want to survive…” There was a deep, rumbling growl from the stairwell, and Adair was there, with Kovit behind him. Adair was in disarray, his eyes pure yellow with narrow slits for pupils, his maw parted as he growled low in his throat. His rows of needle-like teeth gnashed together and parted again as one growl ended and another started, and Nita saw a thick, oily black tongue whip out to cover them with dripping saliva as Adair panted with rage and exertion. He was glaring death at Akasha as his black talons sunk into the door frame, holding himself up as his body shook. When Adair stepped down into the shop, Nita noticed that he had lost control over the glamour covering his feet, since his talons were showing there as well. ~ _ He has webbing between his toes! Oh that’s cute! _ ~ Her mind idly processed.

“I told you yesterday, that there was  _ NOTHING  _ here for you!” Adair’s voice was deep and threatening, and as he stepped forward, Akasha bared her throat and tried to move closer but was blocked by Nita. The two women glared at each other as Adair continued his slow stalk towards them. “Why have you come here, bothering my people? I told you to leave. Nita. Move.” Nita didn’t budge, and didn’t break eye contact either.

“Me and Diana are handling this Adair. Akasha and us are having some...girl talk. You know it’s not a good idea to interrupt girl talk.” Adair paused and looked at her incredulously.

“Nita, I don’t think you completely understand the situation…” Nita snorted.

“Oh? What don’t we understand? That this kelpie bitch thinks that she’s entitled to have you as her mate, regardless of the fact that you told her no, and that her self delusions are leading her to try to force you?” Nita looked over at Adair who was gapping at her, and grinned as the kettle started to whistle. They both looked back to see Diana pick up the pot and move around the counter, her normally kind face twisted with rage. Kovit slowly followed behind her until he was just in front of the counter, then leaned against it as Diana swiftly passed Adair.

“Thank you for confirming your stance Adair, but me and Nita already figured it out. Now move. I’m going to _boil_ me a bitch, and you’re in the splash zone. Unless you want to be part of the soup.” Diana didn’t even look at him as she joined Nita in front of Akasha, and they stood side to side, shielding Adair from view. She glanced between them nervously as the steam rose from the kettle.

“Adair, get these creatures away from me, and we can talk sensibly about this.” she cried, and the two girls gave her crooked, broken grins. Adair’s call of “Being boiled once was enough, thank you!” made their grins grow bigger. 

“You see, Ms  _ Thang _ ,” Diana began, her voice low but clear. “You had your chance to talk with Adair. And he told you _no_ , but you didn’t want to listen. So now you get to deal with _us_. And if you don’t want to listen to us, well.” She held up the kettle, and motioned for Nita to hold up her cup. “Top off your tea love?”

“Oh, thank you sweety.” Nita held up her cup, and Akasha took a step back as the steaming water was poured into it, her glamour mucus sliding down her face. The girls followed after her, Nita taking a slow sip from her refilled cup. When she was done, her grin was still in place, her eyes locked on Akasha. “Yeah. Hot water tends to make the mascara run, doesn’t it Akasha? Too bad. We’ll just have to be rude little  _ mon-keys _ and not offer her any tea while we talk, huh Diana?” Diana was playing with the lid of the pot, and Akasha had taken another slow step back, away from them, her eyes yellow with wide pupils, flicking back and forth. 

“I suppose so Nita. Of course, if she  _ doesn’t  _ want to listen, then I guess she can have the whole pot. You know how much I  _ hate  _ being rude.” Diana’s eyes slid from the lid to Akasha, narrowing into a glare. She stepped forward again “Then there’d be a body for you to play with and dissect. You haven’t had that for a while now. School just isn’t the same.” Nita gasped happily.

“Oh, Diana! So thoughtful! And look at you, suggesting violence! What would my therapist say?” Nita followed Diana by taking a step forward, and the two threw each other sly looks.

“That I’m growing as a person?” Their giggles turned menacing as they looked at Akasha again, seeing that she had taken a few more steps back, her hands ending in talons now. Nita and Diana tilted their heads and took a step forward together. “Something to say, Ms  _ Thang _ ?” Diana asked. Akasha lowered the glamour around her head, her scales holding a green highlight to them as she bared her teeth in a snarl. She stepped back once more as Nita moved forward, pulling her scalpel from her pocket and twirling it on her knuckles. 

“I could rip you both apart with my claws alone, you insolent creatures!” Akasha hissed, her talons raising as she spoke. Nita and Diana rolled their eyes and snorted with laughter, making the female pause again, her foot just touching the door.

“Please. So can 90% of the rest of the unnaturals on Earth.” Nita said, and Diana smirked evilly. “Hell, if I piss Diana off too much, she could rip off my head, she’s a ghoul. The entire black market is after me because I can heal, and they think eating me will grant them either my abilities or immortality.” Diana cackled. There was a snick of a switchblade, and the two looked back to see Kovit standing halfway between them and Adair with an easy smile on his face, his blade spinning like Nita’s, only with more skill and tricks. Diana looked back at Akasha.

Adair had backed up and hidden behind Kovit when Diana joined Nita with the tea kettle full of hot water, his eyes wide and mouth open in fear. His glamour was slowly reforming, so he looked less like a crocodile, and more like himself. Kovit was grinning like a maniac, his eyes glittering with glee as he watched the girls slowly back the other kelpie away from the boys, up against the door. Adair whimpered lowly.

“Kovit...I’m scared.” he admitted, clinging to the man’s arm tightly. They watched as Nita and Diana threatened Akasha.

“I’m not.” Kovit’s voice was higher pitched than Adair expected, and he pulled his terrified gaze away from the tableau in front of the door and turned it to the man next to him. Adair looked Kovit over, taking in his expression, and when Kovit shifted excitedly, Adair glanced down and saw….

“Really Kovit?!” Adair groaned and closed his eyes. “Right now dude?” When Adair looked at him again, he saw that Kovit was glaring at him.

“Cut me some slack man. I’ve never had to deal with this before! It’s not like I can control when it happens!” Adair blinked at the admission.

“Really? I thought you were like, 21? Aren’t humans supposed to go through puberty earlier than that?” Kovit rolled his eyes and huffed, glancing at the girls again, making sure they were still occupied. They were.

“So what? Call it delayed puberty brain if you want. Before Nita, sex was never of any interest to me. Well, that one time, in the Death Market, when she was talking about dissecting me, but that was still Nita, and let me tell you, that was the longest night of my life, just sitting in that cage, left to think…” Kovit stopped rambling when he saw that Adair was just staring at him. “What?!” Adair just blinked again.

“That has to be the sweetest, most psychotic thing I have ever heard.” Adair said softly, a grin spreading over his features. Kovit rolled his eyes again, this time chuckling.

“I’m a zannie Adair. Psycho is kinda our thing. I torture people for fun as well as for food. Now, I’m gonna go watch the girls pull this bitch down a few pegs and put her in her place for harassing you. Care to join?” Adair’s grin was replaced with worry, and Kovit sighed.

“I don’t know why they would take the risk. They could get hurt, killed even.”

“Adair. We care about you, you’re stuck with us now, just like we’re stuck with the alleycats outside. You fed us once, that’s how it happens.” Adair gave Kovit a flat look, and he just grinned back. “Look, the Grim Reaper has had his hand on my shoulder since the day I was born, alright? There’s no point in worrying about when he’s gonna claim me. We all belong to him in the end. The point is to live while we have the time. I’m not stupid Adair. Father Pullman is still after me. My clock is winding down, one way or another.” Kovit looked at the girls again, his face hard even as his eyes stayed soft. Adair drew in a sharp breath. “I’m not letting The Family get their hands on Nita, even if it kills me. I won’t let them touch any of you, any more than we’ll let this bitch touch you Adair. Some things are worth getting hurt, getting  _ killed  _ for, to protect.” Kovit stepped forward several paces, leaving Adair with his racing mind as he pulled out his switchblade and stood as a second line of defense between Adair and Akasha. Diana was speaking again.

“Pretty sure a really determined duck can kill someone if it wants too. Point is, you’re not special. So you have a choice Akasha. No means  _ No _ , even when a male says it. So you can accept Adair’s no, and leave him, and us, the fuck alone. Or you can be boiled, and become Nita’s experiment. Make up your mind.” Akasha looked at Nita, who was standing between her and Diana.

“If you throw that at me, you’ll hit your friend.” She stated as she finished pressing herself against the door. Nita shrugged, and took her scalpel in her hand.

“So? Number one, I can dodge. Number two, I can turn off my pain receptors. Watch.” Nita used the blade to open a small nick in the back side of her arm without flinching, her grin becoming a wide smile as Akasha’s eyes widened at the scent of blood. She took another step toward her, holding her arm up to eye level. “And Number three, I can heal. See?” Nita made her blood clot and scab over the nick as she held the mug steady, steam still rising from the tea inside it. Akasha craned her head away. “So I really don’t mind it if I get splashed with boiling water. Not the worst wound I’ve had to heal. And especially not if it means I’ll finally get to dissect a  _ kelpie _ ! Oh, all the things I could learn from  _ you _ !” Nita let her excitement show in her eyes, and saw Akasha gulp with fear. “Not only has it been so long since I’ve been able to do a proper dissection, but it would be on a species that I’ve never worked on before?! Yes please! Please please please! See, when Adair sold me out to Henry, I set a trap for him, poured boiling water on him, yadda yadda yadda. The plan for revenge was to eventually dissect  _ him _ . But Diana interrupted, separated us, gave us time to cool down, heheh, figuratively and literally, and we were able to salvage our friendship.” Nita twirled her scalpel again. “So dissecting Adair now is out of the question. I love Adair, he’s my friend, an annoying older brother of sorts. But you? I don’t like  _ you _ . And I think you’ve pissed Diana off enough that she’s not gonna step in and stop me from taking you apart piece by piece, endangered species or not.” Diana cackled and lifted the kettle.

“Oh no. Most definitely not Nita. In fact, I’m not convinced yet that she’s even listening to us. Should we pour her some tea?” Akasha scrambled at the door with her talons, trying to find the handle without looking away from Diana. Nita giggled.

“Oh my, you really  _ have  _ pissed her off, Ms  _ Thang _ . I think we have her attention now Di. Too bad. I was looking forward to having fun in the lab. Before you take your leave, Akasha, you might want to put your makeup back on,” Nita motioned to her face with her scalpel, and light gleamed off the razor edge, reflecting in Akasha’s yellow eyes, making her blink rapidly. “Speaking of which, next time you want to use your resting bitch face to scare someone, rethink how you go about revealing it. Slower is better. What was it you said about waiting,  _ cariño _ ?” Nita asked Kovit, and he chuckled darkly.

“It builds anticipation sweetheart.” He replied, his voice low and sensual, and Nita shivered, her skin rising in goosebumps. Akasha stared at Nita as she pulled her glamour back into place, her breathing rapid and frightened.

“Exactly. Thank you  _ mi amor _ . Build anticipation next time Akasha. Just don’t try it with us again, or we won’t give you another chance to walk away.” Akasha took a deep breath before speaking again, her voice low and steady despite the fear in her eyes.

“This city is neutral space. You don’t have the right to drive me away. I can use the lake as much as I want, and there’s nothing you can do about that.”

“That’s not quite true, Akasha.” Diana’s voice had a dangerous edge to it, and both Akasha and Nita looked at her, as she played with the lid on the kettle again to try and hold onto her temper. She raised her eyes to lock gazes with the female kelpie. “The city is a Neutral Territory, according to the laws of the underground world, yes. We can’t drive you from  _ Toronto _ . But the lake? From what he has told us, Adair claimed this lake as his territory a long,  _ long  _ time ago. And I’m guessing sections of the city as well, here along the waterfront and waterways, given where the shop is located. I’m sure the boundaries are marked in _some_ way that you can tell. And that’s where primal law takes precedence. After all, we’re all just _animals_ , right? Monkeys and swamp things?” Diana’s voice went lower, harder, and she took a step forward, removing the lid from the kettle. Steam wafted from the opening, wreathing her face in a cloud of vapor, and Akasha scrambled for the handle again. “We form packs to survive, to defend our territories from intruders, keep our pack members safe, etc, etc. Adair has told you you are not welcome in his territory, for any reason, therefore, you _are_ an intruder. As his pack members, we will help him defend his territory against you in any way necessary. I can’t think of a more simple way to explain the situation to you. Can you?” Akasha shook her head no, her hand and body pressed against the door as she trembled. Nita smiled meanly as she leaned forward and grasped the handle.

“Here, I’ll get that for you. After all, I wouldn’t want you to think we were rude little  _ mon-keys _ .” She drawled in imitation of Akasha from earlier. The door opened and Akasha rushed down the steps before turning around to see Nita and Diana in the doorway, watching her with hard eyes. Nita took a long, slow, sip from her mug as Diana leaned against the doorframe, cradling the kettle against her chest.

“Enjoy the city, Akasha.” Diana said softly, anger still ringing in her voice. “Whatever markers he has to chart his territory, we’ll make sure Adair refreshes them, so you know to behave yourself if you find yourself inside the boundaries. Afterall, Toronto’s a human city, and we can play by human laws. We’re not unreasonable people. Leave us alone, this shop and a few other places that you’ll figure out,  _ alone _ , and there’s no reason we can’t coexist. No reason to resort to the primal laws.” Diana relaxed into the frame more, and left the rest of her statement unsaid, and Nita smiled and waved at the kelpie.

“See you around school, Ms  _ Thang _ .” she said sweetly, and took another drink of her tea. Akasha stared at them for a few more moments before turning and hurriedly walking away, and the two remained in the door as they watched her quickly move from sight as she turned a corner. Nita sighed. “Well that’s just mean. Starbucks is the other way. Poor Rachael is going to be left waiting all afternoon.” The only response Nita got was a sniffle, and when she glanced over at her friend, there were tears rolling down Diana’s cheeks. Nita went to reach for her, but Adair was there in an instant, gently taking the kettle from Diana and handing it to Nita before shooing her towards Kovit, and leading Diana to a corner away from them after closing the door and flipping the closed sign over. 

Nita paused on her way to Kovit long enough to see Adair pull Diana close in a tight hug as she trembled and wept, before making her way over to him as he closed his switchblade and put it away. Kovit pulled her close and kissed her gently, then took the kettle and the mug from her and went to the counter, Nita trailing behind slowly. She let the stress hormones in her bloodstream fade, her heart pinching as she thought of Diana’s predicament. To be caught in a permanent limbo, to love and be loved in return, but not able to really act on it. Nita never thought of herself as a nurturing person, but she wanted to ease Diana’s pain. Threatening Akasha was all well and good, but it didn’t mean she was actually going to leave them alone. Nita didn’t like loose ends. She wrapped her arms around Kovit’s waist and buried her head into his chest, breathing deeply, feeling him warp his arms around her too.

“You ok Bambi? I’d think you’d be celebrating intimidating a kelpie.” Kovit’s voice was soft as his hands travelled over her back, and Nita sighed unhappily.

“Diana’s hurting.” Was all Nita said, and Kovit gave a soft chuckle as he hugged her tightly. Nita frowned and looked at him. “How is that funny?” she asked him, and Kovit shook his head.

“It’s not. I’m not laughing at Diana. I’m laughing at myself Nita.” At her raised eyebrow, Kovit continued. “You are such a complete package sweetheart, I’m doomed. Sweet, caring, loving best friend, wrapped up in a dangerous, sexy, badass bitch. Doomed, I tell you, and I’m loving every minute of it.” Kovit pressed his forehead to Nita’s and chuckled again as Nita let out an amused huff.

“Really Kovit?” Nita asked, unable to suppress a giggle, and Kovit chuckled harder as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. He shrugged and grinned wickedly.

“Adair said the same thing. And I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. Call it delayed puberty brain if you want. I blame you completely, Nita, this never happened til I met you.” Kovit rubbed his cheek against Nita’s, and she sighed with contentment. Kisses were wonderful, but knowing Kovit wanted to hold her like this even when he desired her filled her with warmth. “Can’t lie, Nita. Seeing the two of you tag team that bitch and pull her down a few pegs was very exciting. It’s been interesting and awkward finding out that I am indeed a red-blooded human male.” 

“Ooh, the  _ two  _ of us were exciting, were we?” Nita giggled as Kovit tensed for a moment, then she felt him thread his hand into her curls so he could pull her back far enough to look her in the eyes. Nita’s eyes were shining with mirth as Kovit’s face turned thoughtful.

“You know, I have looked up some of the animes I’ve overheard you and Diana talk about Nita. I don’t think either of you have any room to give me shit for thinking that the two of you being badass together was hot as hell. I only want you.” Nita laughed harder.

“I’m not mad Kovit, I  _ was  _ just giving you shit. I don’t expect you to be blind. Besides, Diana was giving me the same shit all this morning, when we were talking about last night and the women who had me so upset. So don’t worry. I trust that my  _ Flower  _ loves me, and wants only  _ me _ .” Nita gave him a peck on the lips and smiled, while Kovit looked at her flatly.

“Diana found you in the stairwell, didn’t she?” 

“Yup.”

“We aren’t going to have any secrets from either of them, are we?”

“Nope.” Nita giggled as Kovit groaned and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She ran her hands through his dark hair, and Kovit relaxed against her, his hands sliding down to settle at her waist. They stayed that way for long minutes, lost in the feeling of safety they provided each other. When Kovit didn’t say anything else, Nita felt a bubble of worry rise up in her chest. “Kovit, you’re not mad are you?” She asked softly.

“Hm?” Nita felt Kovit jolt, and he rolled his head back enough to look at her in confusion, but not so far as to move his head from her shoulder. “What would I have to be mad about sweetheart?” Nita glanced to the side.

“Me talking with Diana…” She said in a small voice. The nervous bubble popped as she heard Kovit chuckle and felt him snuggle back against her throat.

“Nita, you don’t really have anyone else to go to for advice. And it’s not like Diana hasn’t been rooting for us this entire past year, apparently. Did you tell her about my breakdown, or about why I broke down?” Nita shook her head and tightened her hold on him.

“NO, that was too private. Just about you kissing me, and touching each other, and the fact that you’ve been teasing me by going shirtless. And that I fed you my pain because I was  _ soo  _ worried for you and how worked up I got and how it made me feel…” Kovit kissed her and smiled gently.

“ _ Soo _ , real girl talk. It’s fine Bambi. I’m just embarrassed a bit. Proud that you want to boast, but embarrassed too. I’ll get over it, like you did the texts from Adair.” Nita cringed at the reminder. Kovit kissed her again. “I trust you to know which parts to keep private Nita. You value privacy as much as I do. Like you said last night, nowhere am I as safe as right here with you.” Nita felt tears sting her eyes, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Kovit, hugging him close. ~ _ How is he able to make my heart race and be calm, all at the same time!? _ ~ She asked herself and Kovit hugged her back, rubbing her back in soothing circles. They remained locked together until they heard Adair and Diana walking their way up from the front, at which point they pulled apart gently and turned to face them. Diana’s face was a little puffy, but not too bad, and Adair had an arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the counter, talking quietly together. Nita sighed with relief. The awkwardness from this morning seemed to have passed for the most part at least. 

When they reached the counter, Adair leaned against it in exhaustion while Diana came around and reached under the counter to grab her own mug and hot cocoa container. She poured a generous amount of powder in before she slowly added the hot water from the kettle. Adair sighed and rubbed his face as the others looked at him.

“Did you two  _ have  _ to go all protective lioness back then? I could have handled it myself.” Adair said wearily, his eyes tired. Nita grinned.

“I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts, diddly diddly, there they are a standing in a row…”

“Bum bum bum…” Kovit added as backup, and Diana started to giggle, while Adair groaned in frustration.

“God damn it you three! You could have gotten hurt. You do realize this isn’t over now, right?” Nita snorted as Diana took a drink of her cocoa. Kovit ran his hand through his hair.

“You want us to sing Hakuna Matata instead? I know Nita usually saves it for actual dissections, but I think we can make an exception here…” Kovit snarked as he sat down on his stool, looking around Nita’s side to check the list. “Aww, you remembered I needed socks! Thank you!” Nita grinned and bumped him with her hip. Adair let out a heaving sigh.

“Can we please not make light of this?” Adair clutched at his hair, his glamour flickering and his eyes still yellow. “The last thing I need is any of you getting hurt because I couldn’t handle my shit again.” Diana rolled her eyes.

“And I  _ told  _ you, you shouldn’t have hid this from us. I get that wasn’t your intention, but just like you keep a lookout for any marks put on Kovit in the black market chatter,  _ we  _ are gonna keep a lookout for you. Period. Someone having a crazy stalker isn’t the most unusual thing in the world Adair.” Adair pouted as Kovit chuckled, and Nita’s grin grew.

“She’s right Adair.” Nita said as she added pudding packs to the list, and wiped it from the whiteboard. “You aren’t alone anymore. You didn’t  _ have  _ to be, to begin with, which isn’t the point, but if I have to buy a mallet to beat the fact into your scaly head, let me know now, so I can add it to the list please?” More groaning from the kelpie as Diana giggled harder.

“Make it a pretty one. We can display it along with your paperwork to reduce the amount of stupid we have to put up with.” Nita snapped her fingers at Diana and wrote down ‘picture frames’ and ‘pretty blunt force object’, along with her note about more underwear. Adair gazed at the three fondly.

“Is this going to be our lives from now on? Meddling with each other’s business and making enemies of strange unnaturals while we sing Disney songs, then making grocery lists while we wait for the next big baddie to come along?” Kovit waggled his eyebrows at Nita over the underwear note, and she laughed, miming hitting him over the head with the mallet. Kovit chuckled and looked at Adair. 

“Sounds like a plan to me, though not all the enemies have to be unnatural. There are plenty of humans who are bastards too. And in between, there’s plenty to do besides just go to the store. This one or the grocery store. There’s school, video games...Dates.” Kovit sent Nita a sly look. “I do believe I promised you I’d wear a suit, didn’t I?” Diana laughed as Nita blushed.

“You did,  _ cariño.  _ But for now, we’re going to go get groceries. And don’t worry Di, I’ll get both a chocolate and a variety pack of pudding cups. Big ones” Nita said with a giggle as Diana fist bumped her. Adair sighed heavily as Nita and Kovit put on their coats and headed out. Kovit was asking Nita why they were replacing the pudding if Diana ate the last of it, and Nita kept hushing him.

“Well,  _ I’m  _ going to get some ice cream. I’ll be right back Di.” Adair went and opened the door to go downstairs, then stopped dead in his tracks as the scent hit him. Diana glanced over at his still form as the front door closed behind Nita and Kovit, and began to giggle as she guessed what was going through the kelpie’s mind. He turned on her, his eyes blazing yellow with wide black pupils, and roared, “Why does the stairwell smell like SEX!?!?!?!” Diana began to laugh maniacally.

“It’s not what you think Adair, calm your gills!” Diana cackled, and Adair glared at her. “They haven’t gone all the way. And Nita says you can’t rag on Kovit. He was able to wait.” Adair glanced at the front door with a thoughtful look on his face, his eyebrows raised. He was quiet for a few moments as Diana laughed, then turned back to her with a smirk.

“Still, it’s communal space, and I don’t want to have to walk through the funk all the time. They have a perfectly fine room upstairs. And how in the hell did you not hear them Di?” 

“That’s what I told her. And apparently, our innocent little Nita is finding her kinky side.” At that, Adair raised both his eyebrows, and Diana nodded with a shit-eating grin. “Oh yes. Apparently, she made Kovit cover her mouth with his hand. The naughtiness has begun! My ship is sailing!!” Diana wiggled on the stool as she giggled, and Adair rolled his eyes as he grinned.

“We’re doomed!” He groaned, then took a deep breath of clean air and held it as he entered the stairwell to go retrieve his ice cream. Diana laughed even harder at Adair’s antics, laying her head on the counter contently. It felt so good to have a family again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, oh my. Protective Diana is awesome! I can totally see her boiling a bitch!! She knows she has no claim on Adair, she has no "right" to his attentions, but dis Akasha bitch, totally out of line. Is it weird that I hate one of my own OCs? With venom and a passion. Well, not just this one, but that's for later. Or is that a mark of a good writer, that you can get so inside your character's heads that you understand their stances and backstory and where they're coming from in order to write them well enough that even you can hate them for being pretentious entitled assholes? 
> 
> So yeah. I'm trucking along, spilling this story out onto google docs. These 10 chapters, and the part of the next that I have written so far...138 pages all told so far. The longest continuous work I have ever completed. I have a few other pieces that come later on in the story done, in separate works in my google docs, so that when it comes time to add them to the work, I can edit them as needed to make them fit right. So from time to time, I've done scene jumping, to keep from getting bogged down or getting writer's block, but mostly, it's been straight spill from my mind to the page. If one particular scene keeps coming up to the point that I can't move forward with the main story until it gets written, I just do it in a separate work if it's something that comes waaaayy later, or tab down a few lines and do it if it's a scene that I think will come up soon, and then go back to the main part. I am having a bit of trouble coming up with clever chapter titles though. I like clever ones, not just numbered titles, because I think they are fun. If I can't think of one though, I guess I can just use number, even though I'll pout in the notes. I'm immature like that. Though I suppose I can always ask for your guys help with title names if it comes down to it!!
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, let me know if you did. Time for me to get back to trucking, and making a living. Ah, the joys of adulthood! Be your version of good, or at least don't get caught being bad, and have fun. Blessed Be everyone!


	11. The Joys of Normal Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What cute shenanigans will our murderous cinnamon rolls get up to at the store? Will there be flirting? Oh yes. Worldbuilding? Most definitely. A bit of tension and angst? Of course, it's Nita and Kovit, what else could there be? Think about the last time you had to drag your SO to the store, and the bullshit they put you through. Yeah, we're all angsty teenagers at heart, don't lie. It's why we love these two so much. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW, I have no idea if Walmart is a thing in Canada. I honestly don't. But it's what we have here in the US, which is where I live (joy and delight undiluted-sarcasm), where you can one-stop-shop. And since Nita, Kovit, and Diana all lived in the US at some point in their lives, they all would know what Wally-world is. So it's what I'm using. I can't research everything!

Since Nita still didn’t know how to drive, especially a stick shift, Kovit drove the ice cream truck for them to the store. Generally they were content to use public transit, or walking, but for big hauls, the truck was a better option. And Nita appreciated not having to be out in the cold as much. Nita gazed out the window as Kovit wove through traffic smoothly, seeing faces light up with smiles as children and adults alike recognized the sweet treats advertised on the side of the vehicle, even though the poster was faded. She giggled and turned to look at Kovit, who was bobbing his head along with the song playing softly on the radio. Nita felt happiness bubble up inside, and she bit her lip. Even normal, everyday activities felt special when she was with him. A thought popped into her head and out of her mouth before she could stop it.

“I should probably learn to drive sometime, huh?” She said, and Kovit chuckled as he turned into the parking lot, and started to look for a parking spot.

“Is  _ Madam  _ displeased with her chauffeur?” He asked with a sly grin, making Nita burst out laughing. Kovit waited as another car pulled out so he could take their spot.

“Well, you aren’t in uniform today sir.” Nita snarked as he parked, and Kovit flashed her a smile as they unbuckled and got ready to face the cold again. He got out first and ran around to her side, opening her door with a bow and holding his hand out for hers, making Nita laugh again as she took it. She tucked her arm into his as they hurried to the store’s beckoning warmth, dodging ice and puddles of slush. 

“I knew I forgot something,” Kovit said, his teeth chattering from the cold wind. “Though I don’t know if a uniform would be any warmer than what I’m wearing now, to be honest. Unless it was made out of wool.” 

“Still don’t miss the jungle though, do you?” Nita said, giggling as they finally reached the automatic doors and rushed inside, stamping snow snow from their shoes. Kovit shivered for an entirely different reason than the cold, and brushed snow off of Nita’s coat.

“God no. I want spring, not Satan’s sweaty gym shorts.” Nita clutched at Kovit’s coat to keep from falling, and Kovit kissed her forehead. “Come one, let’s grab a cart and get away from the wind. Why the sudden interest?” They did so, walking through the air dryer and into the main section of the store. Nita turned the cart so that they would head to the home goods portion first. May as well save food for last if they were gonna get cold stuff that could spoil. 

“Just a thought. It’s not fair to make you drive all the time. And what if we need me to drive because you’re busy doing something else?” Kovit’s grin turned sneaky, and he leaned over to whisper in Nita’s ear.

“Something else, hmm? Would that be something zannie-ish, or something naughty?” Nita stumbled and the cart swerved, almost hitting the shelf she was passing before she righted herself, and Nita felt herself flush hotly as Kovit’s breath tickled her ear. She felt her heart start to race as images of both situations flashed in her head, and Nita took a deep breath to center herself, glaring at Kovit as she heard him chuckling.

“I was thinking something more along the lines of you being busy in the shop, and us needing to get laundry done, Kovit.” Nita hissed, her blush spreading. “It’s difficult to get our hamper on the bus to take it to the laundromat. Bad Flower.” Kovit scratched innocently at his cheek.

“Sure Bambi. Whatever you say.” Nita glared at him again, and Kovit held up his hands in surrender. “In that case, it would probably be best to start you out on an automatic. No sense in you wearing out the gears on the truck until you have a basic idea of what you’re doing. It’s how most people learn anyways. And we’re waiting til spring. I don’t want you in a ditch or hitting a pole because you hit a patch of ice, whatever your ability to heal. I don’t think even you can come back from severing your spine Nita.” She was about to retort that she could in fact, since that was how Monica had paralized her, but the look of concern in Kovit’s eyes made her melt, and the retort died on her tongue.

“Alright,” Nita said softly instead, and bumped her hip into his as he relaxed at her concession. They made their way to the kitchenware section, and Nita grinned as she looked at the meat tenderizers. “So how  _ did  _ you learn to drive? I thought the Family didn’t let you out very often?” Kovit picked up a metal one and swung it like a bat.

“They didn’t. Or at least, Henry didn’t. I was easier to control if he kept me where only he could see me I guess. And I honestly preferred my rooms to the rest of the House. People stared, or  _ avoided  _ staring, which I think was worse. If you don’t make eye contact with the boogyman, he won’t come after you, right?” Kovit grinned at Nita, making the mallet dance up her arm, and Nita gazed at him levelly. She caught his eye, looking at him without fear, and Kovit sucked in a surprised breath as his grin dropped from his face and a vulnerable expression replaced it, along with a faint blush. Nita smiled coyly at him, and cupped his chin as she leaned close to him.

“Not a boogyman Kovit. Now, a big, bad,  _ wolf  _ with sharp fangs and claws that wants to gobble me up all night long?” Kovit gasped as Nita ran a finger along his lips before pulling back, her eyes half lidded as she started to push the cart further along the aisle. She cast him a look over her shoulder as she got to the end of the aisle and went to turn, seeing that he hadn’t moved from his previous spot. “ _ That _ sounds more like it. And you have better prey now, one that  _ likes  _ being chased by you. Put the mallet back, Flower, we’ll find something else.” Nita finished turning the corner as Kovit licked his tingling lips, his face burning hot. He closed his eyes and swallowed as flashes came back to him of Nita in the stairwell, struggling to be quiet and making him cover her mouth as he bit at her neck. The mallet slipped from numb fingers and clattered on the floor, jolting Kovit from his memories, and he glanced around quickly, making sure no one saw. Kovit flushed redder as Nita’s giggles floated back to him from somewhere further in the store, and he kicked the mallet over next to the shelf before hurrying to catch up with her. 

Kovit had his face mostly under control when he found Nita a few aisles over, looking in the cutlery section. She looked up at him with a soft smile as he rounded the corner and raised her eyebrow at him when he cleared his throat.

“ _ Soo _ . Driving.” He started, and Nita giggled again, but nodded to indicate that she was listening. “Well, Henry really didn’t want me learning at first. But I guess Father Pullman overrode him on it. Everyone that was raised in The Family started learning around 14, 15 years old. That way, if something happened while you were on a job, even the youngest person could be useful, even if it was just to get everyone else the hell out. Actually, now that I think about it, it might have been more Mother Pullman than Father Pullman.” Kovit paused and Nita raised her eyebrows at him again as she browsed.

“Why do you say that?” she asked, and she glanced around with a small frown. “Might have to check the hardware section.” She muttered to herself. Kovit huffed.

“We don’t actually  _ have  _ to get a mallet, Nita.” He rolled his eyes at her flat look, and chuckled, before continuing their main conversation. “It was around Easter, after I turned 15. M.P. was having one of her charity events..”

“M.P.?” Nita interrupted, and Kovit grinned.

“Mother Pullman. It’s all getting to be a mouthful. I don’t know their first names, and I’m too used to the honorifics to completely do away with them. Anyway, I was attending the event, per usual, and M.P. was making the rounds, talking with everyone. When she got to me, she asked how my driving lessons were going.” Nita pursed her lips and glanced at him.

“I’m gonna guess she wasn’t happy with your answer,  _ cariño. _ ” Kovit’s grin grew bigger.

“Well, she wasn’t unhappy with me, seeing as I didn’t lie to her. I simply asked her “What driving lessons?” If there was one thing pounded into my head growing up, it was don’t lie to the heads of The Family. M.P. said I was 15, and Henry should have set up for me to learn how to drive different vehicles by now. Of course I knew that, when Matt had started learning the year before, I had asked Henry when I would start, and all he had answered with was “We’ll see.” That could mean anything from he had to check with _ F.P. _ ” Kovit glanced at Nita, who hip checked him, “to “Never.” and I wouldn’t know the reason for sure. So I said the only thing I could think of that wasn’t a lie.” Kovit scratched his cheek and Nita pushed the cart through an intersection.

“And that was?” she led him, and Kovit bit his lip sheepishly.

“That it must have slipped Henry’s mind. That he had been teaching me new techniques to use with razorblades….” Nita paused in the hardware aisle and stared at Kovit without saying a word, and Kovit began to laugh. “That’s the exact same look she gave me Nita, stop it, please! It’s creepy!” Nita shook her head and sighed.

“Your birthday is in the summer Kovit. You tried to pass him breaking the rules of the House for over a year and a half, him controlling you, as just some deep immersion teaching technique?” Kovit shrugged and followed Nita as she wandered down the aisle.

“It wasn’t a lie Nita, Henry  _ had  _ been using the time to teach me. Just because I can see it clearly now that he was using teaching me torture techniques as distraction and manipulation devices doesn’t mean that I lied. I was just blind.” Nita paused again, and wrapped her arms around Kovit, leaning her head on his shoulder. She sighed heavily, a pout on her face.

“I’m sorry  _ cariño. _ I just, I..” Kovit hugged her back, kissing her cheek.

“I get it Bambi. You get mad when you think of the things I’ve been through, just like I get mad, thinking of the things your mother put you through. We get protective. I think it’s called lurv…” Nita giggled, and snuggled into Kovit’s neck.

“You’re horrible,” she said, making him chuckle as her breath tickled his throat.

“I am, and yet you choose me.” he replied happily, holding her tighter, his chin on her hair. Nita nodded.

“Because you’re the best.” Kovit’s face turned thoughtful.

“The best at being horrible, or horrible at being the best?” he asked, making Nita laugh and pull away, giving his chest a playful smack. Kovit pretended to stagger, and Nita laughed harder.

“Yes, you ass.” They both laughed together, and Nita looked around the aisle before pouting again. “Damn. They don’t have what I was picturing. I might have to go to a flea market. Or another pawnshop.” Kovit clutched at his chest in mock horror.

“Traitor!” Nita giggled and waved her hand at him dismissively. “You may still find it at home too. Adair did say he had a couple of storage units full of stuff to go through also, when the pile was all sorted. Unless you want something like a croquet mallet. That would be in either sporting goods or toys, right?” Kovit pointed at her with finger guns, and Nita grinned.

“ _ Novio inteligente  _ indeed.” Nita purred at him, and Kovit gave her a cocky grin.

“I try Bambi, I try. I may be an idiot, but I’m not stupid.” Nita gave him a look, and Kovit laughed at it.

“How exactly does that work?” she asked, and Kovit turned so he was walking backwards as they made their way over to sporting goods.

“The firsts implies that I do or say stupid  _ things _ , Nita. Which I do.” As he said that, Kovit ran into a pillar that he didn’t see, since he was walking backwards. He spread his hands wide as Nita began to giggle, and turned to walk normally with her as they continued on their way. “Case in point. The other implies that I don’t think, or else I’m not smart. And that’s not true.”

“No, my Flower is very smart. So you think Mother Pullman pulled rank for you, and made Henry let you learn how to drive?” They moved up several aisles until they reached sporting goods, passing other shoppers. Kovit kept his hand on the small of Nita’s back, staying as close to her as possible. Nita still didn’t like the press of crowds, despite going to university, and big stores like this didn’t help. They tried to limit big store runs as much as possible, but it couldn’t be helped sometimes. So Kovit did his best to shield Nita when he could, in spite of his own unease with crowds, especially when it seemed like someone recognized them. Thankfully the sporting goods aisle was mostly empty, except for a tired, middle aged woman and two teenage boys looking and debating over hockey equipment.

“Timothy, Jason, I am NOT spending over $200 on skates alone. I know you’ll have practice this summer on the indoor courts, but my  _ god _ , you two keep growing and your feet are already the size of  _ spades… _ .” Nita and Kovit did their best to hold in their sniggers until they were farther down the aisle towards the summer stuff, away from the woman arguing with her sons. They glanced at each other and had to shove their fists in their mouths to keep from bursting out laughing at the poor woman’s plight. ~ _ That’s a part of motherhood I hadn’t considered. Extracurricular activities and their upkeep costs. Oh my… _ ~ Nita thought as she looked down at Kovit’s feet, noticing for the first time how large his shoes were. ~ _ And children do grow. They don’t stay cute and small forever, I suppose. Again, it can wait. _ ~ Kovit cleared his throat, though his eyes were still glittering with laughter.

“Yeah. A few days after Easter, Henry comes to my rooms, pissed off. He shoves the driver’s manuals into my hands and tells me I better study hard and not make a fool of him, because we’re leaving in a week, then storms off. I’m ecstatic. I devour the manuals over and over again....” Nita holds up a hand.

“Manual _ s _ , as in  _ plural _ . Kovit, just how many types of vehicles  _ can  _ you drive?” Kovit grinned at her and brushed a strand of hair back over her shoulder.

“Now Bambi, if I answered that, what kind of mysterious, dark, handsome, brooding boyfriend would I be? I have to keep some secrets to surprise you with. I promise, nothing that goes  _ under  _ the water or that flies though.” Nita scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“That just leaves the multitudes that go over ground and  _ on  _ the water Kovit.” Kovit chuckled and waggled his eyebrows.

“Anyways, that week was jammed with study. I don’t think I spent more than 3 hours a night sleeping. After the first two days, Henry lets a couple of the bruisers take us out to a warehouse parking lot full of all sorts of beat up old cars. An old man and his granddaughter meet us out there, they’re mechanics. The four of us stay at the warehouse with them for the rest of the week while I get a crash course on striping engines and putting them back together, along with my first attempts at driving around the parking lot. On my first try and me stomping on the brake, Henry bails, saying he refuses to get whiplash. The old mechanic ends up taking over teaching me how to drive, laughing his ass off the whole time, because it’s: gas-brake, gas-brake, gas-brake, all the way around the lot,” Kovit made jerking, forward and stopping motions with his hand, and Nita was bent over the cart laughing. “I’m apologizing, the old man is laughing, the bruisers are laughing, the granddaughter is working on an engine of a sports car that I’m not allowed to touch, Henry’s in the shade, dying of shame. We finally make it around the lot, and I put the car into park, wanting to cry, and the old man tells me not to feel bad, it goes like that for everyone. Then he says the whiplash just loosened up his joints so his arthritis didn’t hurt so much.”

“Aww. He sounds sweet.” Nita said, wiping tears from her eyes, and Kovit smiled gently.

“He was. He passed a few years ago in his sleep, I think they said it was just old age. No pain. Which is nice. His granddaughter still runs the warehouse. Their family are good people, for all they fall in the grey area between the law and The Family.” Nita looked at him in surprise.

“You mean, they weren’t part of The Family directly?” She asked, and Kovit shook his head at her with a smile.

“Nope. Their business was located within The Families’ Territory, but it wasn’t a part of the business itself. It was a legal chop shop basically. All above board. They would buy old used cars that nobody wanted cheap from dealers, or salvage wrecks, and pull the useful parts, then sell the scrap metal back to the scrap yards. Then they would refurbish and rebuild cars to sell, or sell parts that people needed. But they never touched anything hot in their warehouse. And F.P. honored that. They paid their dues to The Family for their protection, helped us find parts if we needed them, and if there was a job that we needed experts on, sometimes they would lend out someone to help us, but it would be away from their place, and it would be deducted from their dues. The old man teaching me about engines and how to drive was a favor, and strengthening the relationship between The Family and theirs.” Kovit let Nita process the information as they strolled down the aisle, looking at the different sports equipment available. 

“It sounds like politics.” Nita murmured quietly as she gazed at a blue metal baseball bat, running a gentle finger across it’s slick surface. Kovit chuckled. 

“That’s the Underworld, and the Black Market for you, Bambi. Why do you think Adair is having us learn about the  _ history  _ of the black market players sweetheart. Blackmail wouldn’t do any of us any good if this wasn’t politics. Just because the general population doesn’t understand just how much the Underworld affects their lives, doesn’t mean the politics of the Underworld aren’t just as important as regular world politics. More so, I’d say. There’s already too many spaces between the dollar sign and the decimal point in regular politics, but in the realm of the Black Market?” Kovit shook his head and sighed. “Those politics have even more spaces in between the two.” Nita leaned over and kissed him gently.

“Maybe I should minor in Political Sciences then?” she quipped with a smirk, and Kovit grinned. “So you spent a week learning to drive and work on engines?” They moved past the bats, and onto the section that held lawn games, where Nita found what Kovit had spoken of. A croquet set, with six mallets and balls, wickets, and posts. The mallets and posts were wood, while the wickets were metal and the balls were rubber. Nita sent a picture of the set to Diana.

“Those first five days in Chicago with the mechanic were great. Henry wanted me to catch up to where I should have been.” At Nita’s raised eyebrow, Kovit’s grin went dark. They turned the corner, heading towards the picture frame section. “As you said Nita, Henry had slacked off for a year and a half, or so. He didn’t want it to be obvious when we got to the training camp.” Nita raised both brows in question, and Kovit chuckled. “Yeah… there’s a place in Texas, run by a Freedman. They train bodyguards and such in defensive driving, weapons, hand to hand combat, all that. They’re very sought after by groups like the Secret Service and stuff. But they also do a lot of training of newbies for different Families, and for rich, regular, families that want their kids to know how to defend themselves. So you’ll have people in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, going at it with kids as young as 10 or 12. And people like Henry were regulars, coming every year to keep their skills sharp, to teach classes, to bring students.” Nita ground her teeth together as they walked

“And since you were his “Special Case” I bet Henry just  _ loved  _ to talk you up big time.” she hissed, her eyes flashing with fury. Kovit rubbed her back again. “So when he got caught fucking up, he couldn’t let it get out and be  _ known _ ! No,  _ you  _ had to go without sleep so  _ he  _ could save face!” Kovit kept a straight face as Nita fumed.

“To be fair, Henry lost sleep too. He was the one quizzing me on everything Nita. And he never boasted about me doing things I couldn’t do. That week was a head start to the training camp. And I did learn how to drive an automatic well enough by the end of that week that everyone was willing to ride in the car with me at the wheel, including Henry again.” Nita narrowed her eyes at him, and Kovit kept his face calm.

“I don’t want to be fair. I want to do things to the man that if I describe them, will hurt you, so I won’t.  _ He  _ hurt  _ you _ . I’m allowed to be angry, Kovit.” Kovit’s eyes went soft, and he cupped Nita’s face in his palms.

“You are sweetheart. But I don’t want you to get so angry over things you can’t change. He can’t hurt me anymore, not with new wounds. Henry is dead. I killed him, and it almost broke me, but you helped keep me together Nita. So I can appreciate the things Henry taught me, good and bad, while at the same time coming to terms with the abuse he put me through. I don’t want you to think I’m making excuses for him anymore, because I’m not." He pressed his forehead to hers. "I can remember things with fondness because at the time they were fun, or I felt they were good times. You have good memories of your parents, regardless of the bad. It's the same thing for me." Nita sighed.

"I'm sorry Kovit. I shouldn't try to tell you how to feel. That's manipulation." Nita pressed against him and tried to let her anger go. It was hard, and she didn't entirely succeed, but Nita made her shoulders relax and took a deep breath. Kovit kissed her cheek.

"It's ok sweetheart, I forgive you. I know you don't mean it that way. I just don't want you to break yourself on it." They meandered a bit more, and Nita's phone popped up with a group text message. 

ADAIR:

Nita, put the mass produced crap back. I have something better if that's what you had in mind.

DIANA:

don't listen to him nita, they're perfect.

ADAIR:

Don't waste your money on pressed plywood shit. I have something in the storage unit. 

DIANA:

but will he actually bring it to the store? i think not!!

Nita showed Kovit the text messages, laughing. Kovit paused at a floor length standing mirror that was on display, tilting it back to see himself better.

"How much you want to bet they're sitting right next to each other while they send those?" Kovit smiled, and peered into his face as Nita looked at the different picture frames available. "We should get a mirror like this sometime." He said quietly, running a finger along the wooden frame. Nita glanced at him questioningly. Kovit's face was thoughtful, but shut off from her as his eyes roved over his reflection with a grin.

"Where would we even put it?" Nita asked, and he sent her a smoldering look.

"That's the fun of a standing mirror Bambi, it can be moved around to wherever you want." Nita furrowed her brows in confusion, and Kovit chuckled. "Something to think about." He said vaguely, and Nita giggled at him.

"You're weird Kovit," she said, and her phone started ringing, showing she had a video call from Diana. Nita answered the video call with a smile that morphed into a shocked face when she saw that it was Adair’s face, not Diana’s on the screen. “Hey Di-oh. Hello Adair. Why do you have Diana’s phone?” Adair smiled thinly.

“Because you were ignoring my texts. Now, put the mass produced pressed plywood pieces of shit back on the shelf, I will get you what I have in the storage unit. It’s better, trust me.” Nita giggled again and put the croquet set on the shelf behind her, and showed Adair that she had done so. Kovit snickered from his spot over by the mirrors. “Good apprentice. Alright, show me what they have for picture frames.” Nita did, and Adair chose frames that were made of dark wood, with lighter wood accents that looked like scrollwork leaves. Nita hummed in approval.

“These are pretty.” She said, and Adair grinned as she put them in the cart. “Anything else boss?” Adair’s grin went thin again, and an evil glint came to his eye.

“They’ll match what I have in mind, and since you asked, yes, one more thing. Pick up some air fresheners. The kind you hang from a rearview mirror. Vanilla please.” Nita frowned at him in confusion, and Kovit raised an eyebrow.

“Why? The truck smells fine. Kovit, did you notice anything?” Kovit shook his head and glanced at the phone when Adair began to chuckle. Nita and Kovit shared an uneasy look.

“ _ Noo _ , I’m sure the truck smelled  _ just  _ fine when you guys left. And it better smell  _ just  _ fine when you two get back, otherwise the two of you are going in the freezer. No, we need the car freshener, since aerosol spray chemicals burn my nose, and we don’t have anywhere safe to leave a candle burning in the  _ stairwell _ .” Adair narrowed his eyes at them in mock anger, while they flashed him innocent smiles. “Which is full of a solid wall of  _ funk _ , since two somebodys decided to get  _ frisky  _ in it this morning! You couldn’t make it up one flight of stairs?” Kovit grinned as Nita hid her face in his chest.

“The stairs are noisy.” He replied, unabashed, and Adair let out a laugh.

“ _ Right _ . After last night, the  _ stairs  _ being noisy is what you’re worried we’ll hear.  _ Please _ .” Adair rolled his eyes, and Kovit laughed. “Seriously though, not in the truck. If I have to smell that while I’m getting food, you WILL BE..”

“God Damn It Adair! I leave for five minutes to go pee, and you steal my phone! Give that to me!” Diana’s voice was small and tinny over the phone, and Nita began to giggle as she hid in Kovit’s chest, while he was laughing. He had taken the phone from her so she could cover her face completely, so she didn’t see when the screen tilted until it was only showing Adair’s neck and chin.

“NO! Our  _ food  _ goes in those freezers Diana! Do you want them doing  _ that  _ on top of where our food goes?! Health and safety regulations require me to threaten them…”

“For fucks sake, they are grown adults! I’m sure they have  _ some  _ self control!”

“Not from what I smell in the stairwell!!”

“Give me my phone Adair! Don’t make me hurt you!”

“As if you could woman! Oh shit!!” There was a scraping sound, and a thud, then a crash, and the phone camera jiggled around and went black for a moment before it was tilted to show Adair laying on the floor, with Diana’s legs in the background. A moment later, the legs of the stool Adair had been sitting on came to rest on the floor next to him, and Adair had a pout on his face as he gazed at the two of them. “Even if I die, no fucking in my truck. OH, DAMN IT! DIANA!” The exclamation was because the ghoul had plopped on him with all her weight, giggling madly as she waved at Kovit and Nita who were crying from laughter. Adair face planted into the floor and moaned. “My ribs….”

“Told you not to make me hurt you…” Diana said sweetly. Her hand came into view as she reached for the phone, “You two have fun finishing shopping. I’m gonna wrangle me a kelpie. He’s feisty, but I almost have’em” The call cut off Adair’s pitiful whine and Diana’s cackle, and Nita was gasping for breath. 

“Should we get Diana a cowgirl hat?” Kovit asked, clutching Nita onto him, and Nita sputtered.

“Stop it Kovit, I can’t breath!!!!” She wheezed, and held him close to keep from falling. “Oh my god. Yes! We totally should!” 

“Yeehaw!!” Kovit crowed with laughter, and Nita slapped weakly at his chest.

“That’s so wrong Kovit! Don’t do that!” Kovit nipped at her ear.

“Why not Bambi? I may never have ridden a horse, but I did go to Texas and learn to shoot. Halfway to cowboy right there.” The thought of Kovit dressed as a cowboy made Nita’s giggles start back up.

“Did you wear the hat and boots too?” She asked, kissing his cheek. Kovit grinned and tipped an imaginary hat to her.

“Sure did, ma’am. ‘Kerchief too.” he said with a fake southern accent. Kovit wrapped an arm around her waist as they headed over to the automotive department. “We all did. And let me tell you, those boots are a godsend against spiders, scorpions, and snakes. Tuck your pants into them, and you don’t have to worry about anything crawling up and biting or stinging something tender. Augh, the pictures we were made to look at the first day!” 

"Training camp?" Nita guessed, and Kovit nodded. Kovit regaled Nita with tales of sleeping in barrack style dorms, luke warm at best showers, and roommates that snored horrendously. Training was mostly hands on, like the week spent with the mechanics, tearing apart engines and rebuilding them for the first couple of weeks and then moving on to fixing other parts of the vehicles that they would be learning how to use. 

“The last week of that first month we finally got sorted into driving groups. There were the absolute raw beginners, mostly the really young rich kids. Thanks to the week of prepping, I was saved from having to join that class. They mostly studied the manuals, and did a bit of driving on pavement and stuff. Like what I had done. Then there was the middle class, which was split up into two. The less experienced drivers, like me and the older rich kids, or newbie ranks for the Families, and the more experienced drivers like the 20 and 30 year olds.” Kovit was thumbing through the parts book as Nita sorted through air fresheners, trying to find the vanilla one Adair wanted. It seemed like they were out. “The older drivers were studying different vehicles, like 18 wheelers, armoured trucks, that sort of stuff, the different ways to drive defensively around them and with them. Us less experienced drivers were taken out and given practice with basic defensive driving in different sized automatic transmission cars. In everything from little 2 door beaters to SUVs and full sized pick-up trucks. Couple of days we spent with the younger kids for the 4-wheelers and ATVS, those things. Everything handles differently.” Nita gaped at him for a moment as Kovit grinned at her impressed look. “It’s just being aware of your surroundings while driving Nita.” Nita rolled her eyes at his dismissive tone.

“Kovit, I can’t even turn the truck  _ on _ , let alone put it in drive!” She sighed at the thought of all the things her mother had purposely kept from her to make it easier to control her. To make her helpless and dependent. Then she pushed them aside, because she had already gotten worked up enough today, and saw Kovit looking at her with a concerned light in his eyes. “I’m fine. Like you said, we can’t break ourselves over what’s been done. We can only try to move forward. How is it they are out of  _ vanilla _ ? They always have vanilla. Adair may just have to settle for cherry…” Kovit snorted, and Nita raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“Don’t give him more ammo against us Bambi.” Nita frowned, and then flushed as the meaning behind Kovit’s words hit her. She slowly put the cherry scented air freshener back on the hanger, and Kovit grinned broadly at her. 

“You are a  _ bad  _ man, Flower…” Nita muttered at him, and he leered.

“You knew that, sweetheart. Might want to avoid anything like Fresh Linen too.” Kovit chuckled as Nita blushed harder, and looked at the options they had. He picked one up to sniff, shook his head, and picked another, before nodding. “Garden Rain shouldn’t give him any ideas for jokes, and doesn’t smell bad.” He handed it to Nita, who sniffed it, and she nodded too. It would work. Light enough on chemical tones that it wouldn’t burn Adair’s more sensitive nose, but pleasant enough that they wouldn’t get sick of the scent. Tossing it into the cart, they headed on to clothing. 

“How long did you stay in Texas?” Nita asked once they were moderately alone again, and Kovit was deciding which packages of boxers and socks he wanted.

“The first year? Two and a half months or so. There was a situation at the House near the end of the course, and we had to return early.” Kovit shrugged and tossed a few packages into the cart. “Someone was stupid, fucked up bad enough to warrant being punished. So they sent for their pet monster,” Kovit gave a mock bow, and Nita rolled her eyes while Kovit scoffed before continuing. “But after that, I got to stay for the full three months each year. Well, except these last two.” Kovit grinned and nuzzled her, and Nita nuzzled him back.

“Do you regret it?” she asked softly, and Kovit made her stop, pulled Nita into his arms and held her close. When Nita looked into his face, there was genuine joy and contentment in his eyes and in his smile.

“Not for a second sweetheart. I don’t know how long this will last, but getting to be with you means everything to me Nita.” Kovit brushed his fingers across her cheek, and sighed happily. “Being able to be  _ normal  _ with you is precious, a gift I never thought I would ever have. What do I have to regret, Nita?” Nita felt her throat close up with emotion at his sincerity.

“Algebra, for one.” Nita had to joke before she started to cry, and she was rewarded with Kovit’s sweet smile growing wider. “Having to give up your favorite pastime and going hungry. Living in a tiny, one room apartment, while not knowing when it could all be taken from you.” Nita swallowed hard, and Kovit pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. Nita melted against him as she felt Kovit’s strong arms wrap her up in a circle of warmth and love and security. She never wanted that feeling to fade. When Kovit pulled back, there was a light burning in his eyes that took Nita’s breath away.

“You have given me freedom Nita.” He whispered gently, still holding her to him, and Nita whimpered softly at his touch. “You have made me a sail, and filled it with wind. You’ve shown me how to chart a course and follow it to happiness. Yeah, I’ve been hungry, but every journey has it’s rough waters, and we’ll navigate them together. I don’t need a gilded cage to be happy, and that’s all that my rooms were. A cage for a pet. Our apartment may be tiny, but it’s our home, one we’ve made together. And I would rather die with the taste of freedom and love you’ve given to me on my lips, Nita, then ever go back into the cage that Father Pullman can offer.” Nita clung to Kovit, burying her face in his neck and breathing in his scent.

“Quit being a fatalist, Kovit! You’re not allowed to die!” She whispered harshly, trying not to cry. Kovit just chuckled.

“I know that Nita. All I’m saying is that as long as I know you are safe, I don’t care where we live, how we live. I will do my best to make you as happy as I can, for as long as I can, and I have absolutely no regrets. Well, other than Algebra. I’m not taking another course in that god-forsaken excuse for math.” Nita burst out giggling, and Kovit chuckled with her. “Shall we proceed to find you panties?” Kovit asked in a suggestive tone, and Nita snorted.

“Calm yourself, cowboy.” Nita snarked, and Kovit pouted with wide eyes. “If I get something naughty while you’re with me, where will the surprise be? Girlfriends need some mystery too you know.” Kovit sighed dramatically, and Nita just laughed more. 

“Damn. Worth a shot.” He muttered, and Nita nodded.

“Valiant effort. Very well done.” She agreed, and Kovit nuzzled her again as they laughed and walked on. When they got to the women’s department, Nita found the section she needed quickly, and browsed the options she preferred. Something caught Kovit’s eye, and he wandered off, and Nita idly wondered if she would find him in the lacy intimates section, with a bra on his head again. The incident with the little girl earlier brought to mind the time in the Market, when she had woken up from the nightmare when Kovit was in the cage, and he had been making paper cranes from the pages of the book he had lent her. She remembered that when she went to talk with him, he had had one of the birds on top of his head, and Nita wondered if Kovit remembered doing that. Nita found what she was looking for, and after putting the package in the cart, went to find Kovit. He wasn’t in the intimate section at all, which left Nita puzzled. The last time Kovit had gone clothes shopping with Nita, she had gone to the fitting room, and when she came out, he had been waiting for her with the largest size bra he could find, draped over his head and ears like Princess Leia hair buns. He had a shiteating grin on his face, and the two associates that were in charge of the fitting room were in stitches as Nita came out and saw what he was doing. 

Nita giggled at the memory even as she walked through the aisle full of lace and satin, stopping to eye a piece every once and awhile. She had never owned anything pretty before, other than recently being willing to branch out from regular white underwear and getting patterned or colored ones. And while she wasn’t the biggest in the chest area, she wasn’t lacking either. It was just, with as much as Nita and her mother had moved, Nita was so used to just being utilitarian. Bare minimum. Lace and satin and such took effort to maintain, same with makeup. Diana didn’t wear much makeup herself, so neither of them messed with it much other than occasionally watching you-tube videos, but she had said they would go shopping for lingerie. Although, just looking at the prices that a regular store charged for a bit of cloth and lace, Nita had to wonder what a specialty shop was going to charge, and cringed a bit inside. 

Nita finally found Kovit in the pajama section, looking at robes. There were thicker robes that zipped up, but Kovit was looking at the ones that tied, and the one he had found was a deep green color with a vine pattern in lighter green on it. Nita stopped behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder.

“That would look nice on you,” she said, seeing how the color contrasted with his skin. Kovit smirked.

“I was thinking the same thing about it on you.” he replied, and Nita blinked at him. Kovit shrugged, holding it up to her. “You don’t have many pretty things Bambi, and you should. You deserve pretty things. Besides, if you come to bed without a shirt more often, it would be easier to just wear a robe, wouldn’t it?” Nita side-eyed him, and Kovit flashed her an innocent smile. Nita raised an eyebrow in response.

“Oh? And you predict I’ll be shirtless in bed more often now, hmm?” Nita said saucily, smiling slightly. Kovit chuckled.

“Sweetheart, you slept so soundly, you drooled on me. You didn’t have to wake up to untangle yourself once last night. I don’t think you’ve gotten such a solid 8 hours of sleep the entire time I’ve known you.” Nita tended to spin in her sleep, and her shirts did bunch up and choke her often. Nita pursed her lips in thought, as she glanced between the robe and Kovit. It was soft, tee-shirt jersey material, so it would be comfortable in the summer, and still usable now. And it was pretty. She kissed Kovit’s cheek.

“The soundness had more to do with our antics before supper, I’m pretty sure, but yes, I did sleep better not having to wake up tossing and turning. Let’s see if they have one in my size.” Kovit looked at the tag and opened his mouth, but Nita placed a finger on his lips. “ _ NO _ Flower. It’s nowhere near big enough. And despite watching animes with Di, I’m not at the point where I’m ready to walk around in just a robe or apron that I’m falling out of.” Thinking of the promised lingerie shopping trip, Nita looked at Kovit’s crestfallen face and added “Yet.” Kovit’s brilliant smile had Nita laughing as she found the proper sized robe for herself, and put it in the cart. Then she made Kovit look through the options and find himself one, just for fairness sake. He found one in a blue pattern that looked like waves. They headed over to the grocery section, chatting a bit more about Adair’s history and what had happened that morning, Nita filling Kovit in on what she and Diana had skipped. 

They were in the coffee/condiment aisle when they passed an older gentleman, and Kovit couldn’t completely suppress the shiver that ripped through him. Nita glanced at him, and Kovit grabbed the edge of the cart to compose himself where others wouldn’t be able to see his face. Nita stopped pushing their cart as the man rounded the corner, letting Kovit catch his breath. When he had, she looked at him gently.

“Is it enough to eat?” she asked softly, and Kovit nodded. He licked his lips and brushed his bangs back.

“Steady chest pain. I felt it back when I was looking at socks, but for some reason it spiked just now. It’s back to where it was though.” Kovit murmured, his brows furrowed. Nita looked back to where the man had turned, her eyes thoughtful. If the pain was steady, it was probably a known condition. Nita turned their cart around and made to follow the man, Kovit trailing after her. “Don’t we need stuff in this aisle?” He asked, perplexed. Nita glanced at him slyly.

“We can come back for it before we hit the cold and frozen stuff.” Nita checked the next aisle, but the man wasn’t there, so she moved on. Kovit followed her, still confused.

“Nita, what are we doing?” Nita turned into the next aisle when she saw the older man in it, and started looking on her list to see if there was anything on it that matched what that aisle offered. Kovit drew in a hissing breath as the man’s pain slid into him as they followed several paces behind. “Nita…” he whispered. Nita glanced at him blandly.

“We’re multitasking Kovit.” she replied softly, and found an item on their list. The older gentleman was walking slowly, so they matched his pace to make sure they stayed several feet behind him, and Nita made sure to keep her voice low. “We’re getting groceries, and  _ you  _ are eating a late lunch. No reason we can’t do both at the same time.” Kovit gaped at her, and Nita blinked. “What?” she asked, and Kovit shivered.

“I ate just last night Nita…” Kovit said, his voice just as soft and low, and Nita blushed.

“I know Kovit…” Nita whined, and Kovit shook his head.

“No, sweetheart, I meant, I don’t need to eat again so soon. I know you don’t like it when I eat…” It was Nita’s turn to stare at him. She swallowed hard.

“Kovit,  _ cariño, _ I don’t want you to go  _ hungry _ , not to avoid upsetting  _ me _ . This is a part of who you  _ are _ !” Nita felt herself choke up a bit, and cleared her throat. She saw that the man had moved on, so she pushed the cart forward again. After calming herself, she spoke again. “I won’t lie to you. Not having to hear people scream has been a relief. But it’s not like we have to abduct this man and hurt him for you to eat. You said his chest pain is steady, and high enough already, right?” Kovit’s eyes were wide and full of awe as he looked at her, and he nodded. Nita kept pace with the man as she continued, unable to keep her eyes on Kovit without wanting to cry. “Well then, we follow him as we get groceries. You get a meal that doesn’t hurt anyone, we don’t have to harass him or anything. When he goes to leave the store, we go finish our shopping and pick up whatever we’ve missed by following him. It’s morally grey at best, and creepy stalker-ish at worst.” Kovit chuckled, and ran a hand over his face and through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief as another shiver passed through him.

“And for some reason, you thought I would regret being with you Nita…” He whispered, more to himself than to her. Nita looked at him in confusion and worry.

“Is there a rule I’m breaking that I don’t know about, about not eating too often? Or is there a limit on how much zannies can eat regardless of being hungry?” Kovit shook his head again, and wrapped an arm around Nita as they walked. Nita could feel him trembling slightly as the man’s pain fed him. Kovit leaned against her, his mouth near her ear as he spoke.

“No Bambi, nothing like that. You’ve done nothing wrong. God I love you so much Nita.” He pressed a kiss to her temple, and when he pulled back, she saw that there were tears in his eyes, even though he was smiling at her. “I’m so fucking lucky. No, I don’t have any rules about eating too often, and there’s not really a limit on how much pain we can consume, other than zannies can become addicted to the pleasure of it. It’s just been so long since anyone has really cared about my comfort in this. Not since my mom, and Pat…” Kovit trailed off, and Nita felt her heart break, even as they continued to follow the man, stopping and going at his pace, picking up items from their list. 

“I’m not a good person,  _ cariño. _ It’s taken me a long time to accept that, to come to terms with the fact that I’m a monster too. Like I said when you were in the hospital, all I care about is you. And, well, now Adair and Diana.” Nita amended with a giggle, and Kovit chuckled as he squeezed her shoulders. “My point is, I’m selfish, and cruel, and fucked up. I’ll burn the whole world to ash if I have to to keep you safe, because I love you. But right now…” Nita choked up again, and Kovit held her close.

“Right now, we’re trying something different.” He finished for her, and Nita nodded, wiping tears from her eyes as she leaned into his embrace. Kovit kissed her temple again. “We’ll keep the lighter and the gasoline in our back pocket just in case, but for now, I’m liking the difference. Lunch on the go isn’t too bad.” Kovit grinned at her, and Nita smiled back gently.

They were quiet for several aisles, Kovit shivering every now and then, while Nita picked things off of the shelves, comparing prices and checking things off their list. There were the usual impulse purchases, since they were meandering through aisles they hadn’t planned on going down, but that didn’t bother either of them. They had made it back up to the front of the dry goods section when the older man paused, and Kovit had a violent shiver pass through him, and he clutched at the cart again. When Nita looked at him with concern, his eyes were wide, and his face twisted in a snarl.

“Kovit?” She asked, and there was a thump as the man dropped his basket on the floor. Kovit’s head snapped up and his eyes filled with fear.

“Something’s wrong Nita. His pain is spiking bad. I think he’s having a heart attack!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So bit of a longer one for you this time, hope you enjoyed! Like I said, my update schedule will be wonky now, since I'm literally posting as I'm typing now. No more prewritten stuff. Sorry! But I'm still working steady on it. 
> 
> Anyways, this little slice of life was brought to you courtesy of when my hubby was teaching me how to drive, some 14 years ago. Now, granted, he's never been in the mob, so, no training camp like in the story, but MY parents did bail when trying to teach me. I sucked ass so bad!! I'm afraid of heights, and my mom and dad only had vehicles that sat really high, so trying to learn how to drive with them....yeah...no...didn't go well. Red light green light doesn't begin to describe it. Parking lots were bad enough, but when they tried, separately mind you, to take me out on a road....I almost ended up in a ditch. Each time. Both of them after that were like, fuck this shit, I'm out. and so was I. I had a bike, and our town is pretty small, so other than wintertime, it worked well. They were happy to cart my ass around when it snowed.
> 
> Mom met Dad after she kicked Mr. Asshole's ass and they had 8 solid years together before he passed away just before I graduated Highschool. Dad was the one who taught me what to look for in a man.
> 
> Then I met my hubby at the very end of highschool. And that summer, his grandpa gave him his old farm car, an Oldsmobile. That car was a brick of a vehicle, let me tell you, but damn if it hadn't survived just about everything thrown at it. And most importantly, it sat LOW to the ground. Low enough, you felt every damn pothole with your ass as you went over it. And my hubby and I love heavy metal, so when he was teaching me, we'd throw cds in the player, and he'd headbang along with the music and say the whiplash couldn't keep up. So that's how he taught me. I'm the luckiest woman alive. We rib each other all the time, and taking him out in public is always a trip, especially if his sister, my best friend, is along for the ride. The Princess Leia bra situation...yeah. Both of them. I was crying I was laughing so hard.
> 
> If you have any funny or sappy stories to share, I'd love to hear them. Until next time, be good to yourself. Hug your loved ones, snuggle your pets, make something beautiful, even if it's just a smile. Blessed Be friends!


	12. Damned if you do, Damned if you don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's a zannie to do when the person he's passively feeding on has a life threatening emergency? Especially when he's on probation, and learning how to be a normal citizen at the same time? We're a judgmental species, aren't we? One of the fundamental questions in life is what makes a man, or a woman, and what makes a monster, and which answers to that question are pretty little lies we tell ourselves so we can sleep at night? Sometimes it takes a lifetime to find out. Let's hope Kovit and Nita get their chance to do so...

The man was leaning against the shelf next to him, gasping and clutching at his chest, as Nita and Kovit stared at each other for several seconds, Nita’s mind completely blank. Then Kovit was moving, that smooth, lightning fast way he had, and he was next to the man, his hand on the older man’s shoulder.

“Sir, are you alright? Do you need help?” Kovit asked gently, steadying the man as he gasped for breath. He tilted his head back, and his breathing slowed. Nita pushed the cart up next to the two as the older man regained his color.

“My chest doesn’t usually hurt this bad. I was just grabbing a few things while I waited for my prescription to fill…” He said, his voice tired. Nita supported his other side.

“Sir, let me and my boyfriend help you to the pharmacy, see if they can rush your medicine. You don’t look well, lean on our cart, and we’ll help you.” Nita and Kovit guided the older man so that he could grip the shopping cart’s rail, and he looked around, confused.

“My basket…” he muttered, and Nita turned and grabbed it, setting it on top of their things.

“We have it, sir. Everything will be alright.” They slowly escorted the man towards the front, and when they saw an associate coming out of a nearby aisle, Kovit flagged the person down.

“Can you call the pharmacy, and let them know there may be a medical emergency? This man was having severe chest pain and shortness of breath. We’re helping him there now. Call for a manager too please.” The associate grabbed their walkie talkie and started to speak rapidly into it, and moved out ahead of them, clearing the aisle of other patrons. People stopped and stared as they walked slowly past, the older man pausing now and then to catch his breath. Kovit was fighting hard to keep his face neutral and his body as still as possible, so Nita knew that the pain had to be spiking again.

“Sir, did you have any other pain today that was unusual?” She asked while they were taking a break, and he closed his eyes in thought and nodded.

“My leg. It was cramping badly, but it passed about noon. My granddaughter comes and gets my medicine, but she had something to do for school today, so when my leg felt better, I decided to come and get it myself. I didn’t think a trip to the store would hurt so bad.” He gasped, leaning over the cart. Kovit winced, dipping his head so that the people staring at them wouldn’t see his expression.

“Shit, Nita, this is really bad. I didn’t know a heart attack could feel like this! It feels like something is stuck! Like you’re trying to suck a really thick milkshake through a straw and you have a chunk of ice or something!” Kovit whimpered, his face caught somewhere between ecstasy and terror. Nita looked at him with wide eyes, her own heart racing. ~ _ Leg cramps, a stuck feeling...blood clot? _ ~ She thought, and looked up to see that they had reached the pharmacy finally, the pharmacist in their lab coat running towards them. Nita waved at them, telling them to hurry, as Kovit and she carefully guided the man to a nearby bench, where he sat panting. Kovit kneeled next to him, panting also. The pharmacist, a middle aged Indian man, slid to a halt in front of them, and went to one knee.

“Mr. Williams, it’s Navin. Can you tell me what’s going on?” He said in a rush, and the older man, Williams, just gasped for breath. Nita fidgeted.

“I think it’s a blood clot.” She said, and Navin looked at her, confused. “He said he had a bad leg cramp this morning, but it stopped around noon. And Kovit says that when the pain spikes, it feels like something is stuck, like trying to suck a piece of ice through a straw. It sounds like a blood clot broke loose and traveled to his heart.” Nita bit her lip in worry. She didn’t want to say out loud how Kovit knew how the man felt, but she also didn’t want some random person to die. This was a completely different situation from Brian. Their lives weren’t on the line. The pharmacist looked at her closely, then at Kovit, and back at her, recognition flaring across his face. He turned around, seeing the lab techs peering at them from over the counter, and shouted.

“Emily, get on the phone with emergency services, now! Tell them it could be coronary thrombosis or P.E. We need an ambulance yesterday! Susan, main kit, defibrillation and resuscitation kit too, in case he goes into arrest before they get here. Move!” He barked, and the techs went into motion, one already on the phone. To the associate that had led them here, he said. “Get on the pager, code seven. Then announce that there has been a medical emergency, and all patrons are asked to clear away from Pharmacy and the closest exit. You keep repeating that, understand?” The kid ran for the nearest unused phone, and in a moment, his shaky voice was on the intercom, repeating the message. One of the lab techs ran up, carrying two big boxes with first aid signs on them, and one with a lightning bolt warning. Nita gripped Kovit’s shoulders as he shivered again.

“What can we do?” she asked, nervous, as Navin threw open the first aid kit that didn’t have the electric warning, and pulled out a blood pressure cuff to start taking vitals.

“I need you two to stay with me, so that, you said Kovit, right?” Kovit nodded, his eyes closed as he took a hissing breath, and Navin wrote down William’s blood pressure as he groaned. “So that Kovit can help monitor Mr. William’s pain, and tell me if it starts to move lower or to the sides. What’s your name miss?” Nita licked her lips.

“Nita.” she said, and Navin nodded, and pulled out a small object that he clipped to William’s finger. It flashed, and two numbers showed up, one jumping up and down rapidly, the other more slowly. 

“Pulse is erratic, but that’s probably due to pain, Bp is high, 240/110, O2 is 89. Susan, give this to Emily, have her relay this to services, and get an eta on that bus.” Navin ripped the paper off his pad and shoved it at the tech, who just squeaked and stood there, shaking. Nita growled and grabbed it, rushing to the counter, and shoved it at the other tech.

“His vitals! Relay them, and where is the ambulance?!” She hissed, and the other tech stared at her with wide eyes, before grabbing the paper and relaying the message. She glanced at Nita again as she got a response.

“5 minutes. They had to go around an accident on 4th.” Nita turned to go back, and saw Kovit’s back arch and he screamed.

“NITA!” She saw Williams clutch his chest at the same time as Navin did, thanks to Kovit’s warning, and his eyes rolled back. Nita felt like her own heart was stopping as Navin stood and gripped Williams under the arms, pulling him to the floor.

“Tell them to haul ass, he’s going into arrest!” Nita shouted, and she sprinted back, sliding to her knees next to Navin as he clambered over the slack form on the floor and started doing chest compressions. 

“Somebody, tilt his head back, pinch his nose, and breath into his mouth!” Navin barked, and Nita and Kovit both scrambled to the man’s head. Nita supported his neck while Kovit blew into his mouth, pinching his nose shut. It felt like forever, but in reality was only a few minutes, before Williams began to breathe on his own again, first a hacking, heaving cough, followed by painful pants. Kovit pulled his jacket off, lifting the man’s head gently to shove the material under it, and Navin climbed off, returning to checking his vitals.

“Kovit, where is his pain now?” The pharmacist asked, and Kovit swallowed hard, shaking. Nita put a hand on his shoulder, and Kovit shook his head, before touching his chest with a hand.

“Uh...pressure around the ribs from the compressions, and soreness in the heart and surrounding muscles from the stress.” He replied, his voice trembling. Navin nodded.

“Do you still feel the sucking, stuck feeling?” He asked, and Kovit shook his head, closing his eyes in concentration. “Alright. Then the clot either passed into the first chamber, which caused the arrest, or it got pushed back into the vein. Let me know if you feel it come back, or if it comes back lower, like it’s moving into the lower chamber. We don’t want that clot going to one of his lungs. Let’s roll him to his side.” They moved Williams onto his left side, and his breathing eased a bit. He opened his eyes slightly, and though they didn’t focus, they did linger on Kovit’s frightened face. Nita saw his lips moving, and leaned her head down to see if she could hear wheat he was saying.

“It will be alright son...it will be alright…” was all she could make out before his voice trailed off, and then she heard other voices back in the store yelling for people to move and to make a hole. When Nita looked up, the paramedics were there, with a stretcher and equipment, and then Navin was drawing her and Kovit back so they could work and move Williams onto the stretcher. The two clung to each other as they watched Williams get hooked up to oxygen, while Navin explained what had happened, medical terms flying rapidly over their heads as they trembled together. One of the techs, Emily? Nita thought, the one that had been on the phone, made them sit on a bench, a different one than the one Williams had used, and brought them bottled water, then brought Kovit’s coat to her as Williams was rushed out of the store. Navin was still talking with one of the paramedics that stayed behind, giving them as much information as he could on the man’s condition, when a pair of police officers stopped next to Nita and Kovit.

“Kovit Sangwaraporn? Nita Sanchez?” The younger of the two asked, and they looked up. Kovit was a mess, tears running down his face as he shook and shivered, and Nita had her arms wrapped around him, trying to hold him together as she fought off the shock trying to take over her system. The older officer had a sneer on his face as he regarded them, while the younger one simply looked concerned.

“Yes,” Nita replied, unsure what was going on. Her head felt fuzzy, and the lights seemed too bright. The younger officer knelt down so he was more at level with her.

“I’m Detective Jack Burrows. My partner is Constable Branston. We need to get your statement about what happened today.” The detective pulled out a notebook. “Just take your time and start from the beginning, please.” Nita blinked, trying to gather her thoughts.

“We came to get groceries, and some clothes. We were running low on stuff at home.” Nita said, her voice sluggish. Why couldn’t she think? “We got done in the clothing department, and went to get food, when Kovit felt the man’s chest pain. Kovit is a…” Nita paused, fear filling her. Would they get in trouble if she told them that they had been following Williams? It didn’t seem like a horrible thing at the time, they hadn’t bothered the man, but how would it look in the eyes of the law? The detective gave a small smile.

“Miss Sanchez, I know who you and Mr. Sangwaraporn are. Everyone in the precincts does. I used to work on cases with INHUP as a local liaison, when dealing with non-lethal incidents. Since their suspension, my caseload has gotten a bit heavier, but believe me, this isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with something like this. Following someone in the store is creepy, but not illegal.” The older constable shifted and grumbled, and Burrows’s face went hard as he looked at his partner. “Something to say, Branston?” The sneer turned to a look of disgust.

“Of course not.  _ Detective _ .” The constable made the title a slur. “It’s not my place to tell you hotshots how to do your job when some  _ freak  _ harrasses an innocent man into a heart attack, just so he can get his jollies. Why would I have something to say?” Burrows stood up, anger blooming over his face as Nita felt it flare up inside her chest, but it was Navin that spoke before either of them could do so.

“I think it would be best if you remain silent then, Constable, before I report you for discrimanation and slander.” The two men turned, and the shorter, dark skinned pharmacist walked up to them, his face intense. “These two helped save Mr. Williams’ life today, and without their quick thinking, he more than likely would have been DOA in the cereal aisle when someone found him. A thank you is in order, not bigotry.” Navin stepped between the policemen so that he was standing in front of Kovit and Nita, and crossed his arms, glaring up at the older officer. Burrows moved out of his way respectfully, listening, while Branston was sneering again. 

“I don’t know if you’re aware of this, mister wanna-be doctor, but this little freak here is a…”

“Kovit Sangwaraporn. And he is a krasue. Known as a Zannie to those that follow INHUP’s classification. I’m well aware, Constable. I highly doubt anyone who watches or reads the news would be unaware of who he is at this point, though they may not believe they’ve met him on the street, just passing by.” Navin’s voice was calm, as he stared the policeman down. “And my Doctorate of Pharmacology is valid and up to date, if you want to check it against the store’s records and with the state. So yes, it  _ is Dr _ . Navin Gurmeet. Now, Kovit didn’t cause Mr. Williams’s previously well controlled heart condition, nor did he cause the blood clot that gave Mr. Williams the coronary thrombosis and the cardiac arrest he went through today. What he did, obviously, because of what he is, was to feel someone in pain, pain of sufficient amount to feed himself, and followed it. When the pain surpassed a dangerous level, he sought help for that person, regardless of his own needs. So you can keep your damn opinions to yourself, or you can get the hell out of my pharmacy!” Branston’s eyes were bugging out, and his face was mottled red with rage. He went to speak, but Burrows cut him off.

“I think Dr. Gurmeet has a good idea, Constable. How about you go cool off in the car. I’ll finish getting the statements I need.” That shut the older man up. Glaring at everyone, including shooting Nita and Kovit an extra-venomous look, Branston stormed off, roughly pushing his way past onlookers without a word. Burrows took a deep breath and sighed heavily. “I apologize. My usual partner is stuck at the precinct because he broke his leg last month, so they rotate me with whomever is available when I have to go out on calls. We’re spread too thin right now to do it any other way. Here.” Burrows took a fresh sheet of paper and wrote something down on the top and bottom, then tore the page in two, handing one piece to Navin, and one to Nita. Then he handed each of them a card with his contact info on it. Nita looked at the paper. It had a phone number, and Branston’s name and precinct info on it. “Call that number and make the report about his behavior. Please. I’ll make my report as well, but if you call it in, it’s more likely to go somewhere. I’m still one of the youngest detectives on the force, so I don’t have much pull yet, but you didn’t deserve that. Shall we get back to your statements?” 

The three nodded, and Burrows had them walk through their time in the store from when they got there, to feeling Mr. Williams’s pain, to the path they took while they followed him, all the way up through to him being taken away by the paramedics. They went over it a few times, making sure they didn’t miss anything, and then Burrows went over things with Navin. How Mr. Williams had stopped in to check if his medication was ready, and when it wasn’t, said he would do some shopping and stop by again. Then the calls from the radio and management about the medical emergency and then Nita and Kovit helping him. They had to go over that part several more times, to make sure that Burrows had the medical terms correct, but by the end of everything, Burrows had the information he needed straight, and Nita and Kovit were calm. Burrows collected their contact info and shook their hands.

“All three of you did amazing today. Thank you.” he said sincerely, and Nita and Kovit looked down sheepishly. Burrows saw it and grinned. “I mean it, you two. You don’t have to get a hero complex or anything, but you helped save a life. I’ve read your case profiles. You guys still have mandatory therapy sessions, right?” They nodded, and so did Burrows. “Talk this over with them, they’ll help you sort through your feelings. It’s what they’re paid to do after all. I have your information if we have any more questions, but I have a feeling that the security footage will match what you all said. And you have my contact info if you need anything, or if people start harassing you over this.” Nita and Kovit nodded. Kovit sighed harshly, seeing the crowds that still lingered.

“Another media circus, coming up.” he muttered, and Nita took his hand. “It’s just...It would have been sleazy, using him for pain and letting him drop without doing something. But now they’re gonna debate that I’m trying to be some sort of tragic hero or something.” Kovit covered his face with his free hand, and Burrows and Navin both chuckled, which made Nita look up at them as she felt Kovit squeeze her hand.

“No Kovit.” Navin’s voice was gentle, and he patted Kovit on the shoulder twice, firmly. “Just makes you human, like the rest of us. Complex and messy. Was there anything else you needed from us, Detective?” Burrows shook his head with a grin, brushing his light brown hair out of his face. 

“Nope. I better grab those tapes from management and head back to the precinct. Branston should be good and cooled off by now.” His grin went wide as he pulled out a set keys from his pocket. Nita started to giggle as Navin laughed, and Kovit glanced up to see what was so funny before breaking out in a smile. “Afterall, the car is locked. You three have a good night, and watch out for ice. Which, Mr. Sangwaraporn. Kovit. If you find yourself needing something to eat, and unable to find anything, stop by my office. My partner refuses to take his pain pills for his broken leg, but won’t stop bitching about it hurting. Says the pills make him too fuzzy to think to work. I’ll even let you tie him up, as long as I get to be the one to duct tape his mouth shut. You get a meal and I get blissful silence for a while, how's that for a deal?” Kovit laughed and stuck his hand out, and Burrows shook it again.

“Deal.” Kovit said, then Burrows shook Nita and Navin’s hands again, before heading out. Nita and Kovit leaned against each other, taking comfort in knowing the other was still there. Kovit looked up at Navin as he wrapped an arm around Nita. “Thank you, Doctor. For your help with the constable.” Navin smiled and shrugged.

“You are as you are Kovit. You weren’t hurting anyone. And when the chips went down, you got Mr. Williams help. Regardless of your past, what you do in the moment is what matters. Let the Gods judge, they have the wisdom for such things. I have my own karma to look after. If you don’t have anything that needs weighed on a scale, we can check you out back here, if you are finished with your shopping, so you can go home.” Nita and Kovit looked at each other, torn. Neither wanted to stay, but neither wanted to have to return soon, and they had missed quite a bit on their list.

“Suck it up now and avoid a photoshoot later?” Nita asked Kovit, and he nodded reluctantly. 

“At least right now it’s just people on their phones. No reporters in our faces.” He conceded. “If we hurry, we might get home before it gets confirmed and the vultures descend there.” Nita nodded and they looked at Navin, who smiled.

“No worries, I understand. Reporters aren’t allowed in the building, not without an escort from the PR division, so don’t worry about that while you finish getting your groceries. When you are done paying, go up to the customer service desk, and let them know who you are, and a manager will help escort you out a side entrance so that any vultures outside won’t know you’ve left the building. They can freeze their feathers. I’ll make sure the managers know what’s up for that. And if people start to bother you in the store, you can always ask for an associate to get a manager to help escort you through the building too. Hopefully that won’t be necessary.” Nita smiled, even though she didn’t think they’d be so lucky. Plenty of people had seen them walking over here. They handed over Mr. Williams’s basket, the tech assuring them she would take it to Returns since she was clocking out soon, and then wove their way through Health and Beauty, finding an empty corner to put on their hats. At least that way they’d be  _ less  _ recognizable. Maybe. 

They made their way back to groceries, quickly finding the things on their list and making their way through the crowds as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Kovit slouched and hid his face in the collar of his coat, his hands shoved into his pockets. Nita didn’t bother to price check, simply finding the items they needed, and moving on. Her nerves were shot, and she ended up putting more pudding in the cart then would be considered healthy. The whole store was buzzing, people talking, sharing pictures and videos on their phones, and all Nita could think of was how easy it was for a group of people like this to turn into a mob. Just because the DUL was gone, didn’t mean that mob mentality ceased to exist. Just the justification for it did. They were at the cold case for lunch meat when Kovit placed a hand on Nita’s back, making her jump in fright.

“Sweetheart, you need to breathe.” He said softly, leaning close to her. Nita looked around and saw that they were mostly alone.

“I am breathing.” She replied, only noticing then that her chest hurt. Kovit rubbed his hand in circles over her back.

“Nita, you start to hyperventilate, then you hold your breath. That’s not breathing. We’re almost done.” He murmured, turning his body to shield her as another group of shoppers passed them, chattering. Nita gulped. She looked at the list in her hand, and saw that they only had a few fruits and vegetables left to pick up, and she took a deep breath, leaning into Kovit’s shoulder. After a few moments, she nodded and stood up, taking another breath to steady herself. They turned around and headed to the fresh produce section, dodging around people. There was a moment when Nita saw a teenager glance up from her phone and stare at her and Kovit, then back at her phone, then back at them, and Nita saw her mouth open. She shot the girl a dark glare, and shook her head very slowly, and the girl wilted. She turned to her parents, showing them her phone, and they glanced up at Nita and Kovit, before her father took her phone from her and put it in his pocket, and they pulled the protesting teenager into a random aisle. As they walked past the aisle, Nita overheard the parents berating the girl.

“...Don’t care if you think someone is a celebrity, or trending on Fitter or whatever the hell you kids use these days, you don’t go up to random people in the store!” the father was saying in a low voice. The mother spoke next.

“Especially not if they could be unnatural! The last thing we need is you ending up on a missing persons poster…” And then they were out of range, and Nita closed her eyes in frustration. ~ _ All we want is to live a normal life. Why is that so much to ask for? _ ~ Nita thought bitterly, biting her lip. She glanced over at Kovit, and saw that he had an amused smirk on his face, no hint of upset or resentment. He wasn’t wearing any of his masks. ~ _ Then again, even Kovit will admit, he’s not a  _ typical  _ zannie… _ ~

Other than that family, they were able to finish their shopping and headed to the register without anyone recognizing them. The self-checkouts were all in use, so they found a register with the shortest line possible. There was just the person finishing their purchase, and an older woman with a few items ahead of them. The first person left, and Kovit began to place their items on the belt. The cashier began scanning the old woman’s items as she dug into her purse, then both of them froze as she spoke.

“Do you know what happened in the Pharmacy? That announcement made my blood run cold. It’s not often you hear of an emergency at the store. And when you get to be my age, anytime something like that passes by too close, you start to get worried.” The cashier glanced over at Kovit and Nita, who glanced at her with wide eyes, and then gave the customer a wide, fake smile as she turned off her register light.

“I’m afraid not Ma’am. Being stuck up front, we don’t get told much, unfortunately. All I can do is hope that they are ok.” The young woman said as a manager came up to check why her light was off. She continued to scan the older woman’s items as he glanced at Nita and Kovit, and nodded to them before heading up to the customer service desk. The older woman looked at them, and Nita gave her a shaky smile.

“You don’t happen to know, do you dear?” she asked, and Nita felt her throat close up. “My grandkids got me one of those smart phones for Christmas, but I just can’t seem to figure out how to make it work, no matter how many times they show me. I saw some people looking at videos while I was shopping, but I didn’t want to bother them.” Nita shook her head with a soft, “Sorry, no.” and the woman sighed. “Ah, well. I’m just being nosey, I suppose. It’s in God’s hands now, and the best we can do is add whomever it was to our prayers tonight. As you said, miss, hopefully they will be alright. You take care, and stay safe!” The woman paid for her items, and trundled off with her bags. Nita and Kovit moved up, and the cashier started to scan their items. The young woman gave them a small smile, which Nita returned.

“Thank you.” Nita whispered, and the woman nodded. 

“Standard procedure is good for something, right?” She replied, her voice nervous as her hands trembled slightly. Nita nodded, and the cashier quickly and efficiently scanned their stuff, bagging things neatly. There was a tense moment when she went to bag an item and Kovit was already reaching for another bag, and she jerked back slightly. Kovit’s face shut down, and the cashier shot them a guilty look. “I’m sorry.” she whispered, and Nita just nodded again, her heart pinching. Navin and the Detective were outliers, Nita knew. Rare bright spots who could see Kovit as a whole person. But having met two in so short a period of time almost made it harder to deal with the usual behavior of people who realized they were near a zannie. At least the cashier was doing her best to be professional and polite, unlike the constable. And the teenager’s parents at least kept her from making a scene. Nita was ready to get home, get away from people. Too many emotions, too quickly. She traced the Y shape of a dissection incision on her leg as the cashier scanned the rest of their items.

They were almost ready to pay when the manager was back, and stepped up to the register before the total could be rang through. He placed a hand on the cashier’s shoulder, and she glanced up at him before stepping back.

“Before you run your card, the store manager wanted me to apply the employee discount to your purchase, since you folks had to go through the trouble of talking with the police today.” The manager said softly, and he placed his key into the register and entered a code. The total flashed and recalculated, lowering dramatically. Nita swiped her debit card, and they finished paying. The manager turned to the cashier as Kovit and Nita loaded their bags into the cart. “I’m gonna help these folks out to their car, then when I get back, you can take your lunch break, ok? I know it will be a bit late, but I’ll put the approval in the system, and I’ll cover your register, alright Beth?” She nodded.

“Thanks Ron.” She said, and flipped her light back on. The manager motioned for Nita and Kovit to follow him, and he led them over to the pick up/delivery area. As they passed the front doors, Nita and Kovit looked out, and saw that there were a couple of news vans sitting outside, with crews and cameras pointed at the door. They both shuddered with dread. A heavyset Latina woman met them at the pick up area, and motioned them around the corner away from the door. Once there she handed the manager a thick coat while putting one on herself.

“We had wanted to try to slip you out the loading bay on the side, but the damn news crews have the place surrounded by watchers, so any obvious attempts like that will be spotted immediately, I’m afraid. I’m Julia, the store manager. Sorry.” The woman’s voice was thick with frustration, and Ron chuckled. 

“Julia has very little patience for crows looking for a buzz story. It seems that some of the videos went viral faster than we expected, and here the vultures are, again.” Kovit and Nita glanced at each other as they adjusted their scarfs and hats.

“It sounds like you’ve done this before…” Kovit said, and Julia nodded sharply.

“You’d be surprised at the number of unnaturals living here in Toronto. Most college cities are that way. Everyone deserves to build a life, and to do that, you need an education. There’s a clan of vampires that lives here, that lives on only donated blood. INHUP used to give them all sorts of hell, especially after a couple of years ago when one of the younglings was in a store, and saved a child that had gotten out of it’s parent’s cart and climbed a shelf and fell. Guess which store that was?” Julia shoved her hands into some gloves, and Nita bit her lip as the guys chuckled. “Poor kid got _blasted_ all over the media. You know those “Karen” memes floating around? The mother was _the_ poster child of one. Wanted to sue the store for letting a vampire shop here. I was just an assistant manager at the time, and seeing my store manager grovel to that woman made me want to hurl.” She looked at Kovit and swallowed hard. “I get nervous around unnaturals, I’m only human. I’d be stupid not to be wary. Hell, I’m nervous around big dogs. But you helped someone today, and you don’t deserve to be treated like trash. Everyone needs shampoo.” Julia finished in a mutter, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. Kovit grinned at that, and nodded his thanks. Nita glanced between the older adults.

“So what's the plan then, since the loading bay is off limits?” Ron put on a hat, and shrugged on his coat.

“Well, we’re gonna hide you two in plain sight. The media is looking for two young adults on their own, not a family of four, right?” Kovit and Nita blinked at him for a moment, and he shrugged. “Worth a shot. We figure if I’m pushing the cart, and Mr. Sangwaraporn is walking with me, while Miss Sanchez is walking behind with Julia, and you two are slouched and on your phones, with your winter gear on, hopefully we can slip by. They definitely won’t be looking to find you two with an older white guy.” Ron motioned to his face, and Nita noticed he hadn’t put on a scarf. She looked at Kovit, who shrugged.

“Sunglasses and a hat worked in Argentina.” he said, and Nita nodded. She looked at the two managers with a smile.

“Thanks.” she said softly, and Julia chuckled.

“Beats paperwork. Besides, Ron misspoke. I have no problem with carrion crows. Crows are intelligent creatures, useful, and quite beautiful.” Julia smirked. “But the ‘razzi' aren't crows, they aren’t even vultures. They’re ticks. Where are you two parked?” Kovit explained, and they set off, Ron pushing the cart with Kovit walking next to him, slouched down and on his phone, with Julia and Nita behind. Nita pulled out her phone, and saw she had a few missed calls from Diana and Adair. She sent a quick text to the group chat, saying she would call when they got in the truck, but that she and Kovit were fine, not in trouble, and the managers were helping them avoid the media. Diana’s response was immediate, and full of relief. Adair’s was also immediate, and full of threats of chaining them up in the basement for making him worry. Kovit just reminded Adair that if they were chained up in the basement, he would have to live with the funk down there, and Adair swamped the chat with Grumpy Cat memes and promises of chaining them to opposite walls so they could only see each other and not touch. 

Everyone held their breath as they approached the front door, then suddenly a large family entered the store, several children, parents, even grandparents it looked like, speaking a language that Nita couldn’t catch, but they did an excellent job in distracting the media crew as the children ran around causing a ruckus, grabbing carts and bringing them to their parents, and the four slipped out and around the news vans without anyone batting an eye at their presence. They breathed a collective sigh of relief, then hurried to the ice cream truck in the deep winter twilight, and Nita shooed Kovit to the cab to start it while she climbed into the back and the managers helped her unload the cart. Once the cart was empty, Nita thanked the two managers again. Julia just nodded, and Ron grinned.

“You two drive carefully now.” He said, and turned to take the cart to the carral. Julia waved as she backed up.

“Hopefully your next trip out won’t be so exciting.” She called with a smile, and then the two headed back to the store. Nita sighed and muttered, “ _Hopefully_ ” then closed up the back of the truck and hurried to the cab. She climbed in and thumped her head back against the headrest, closing her eyes and sighing heavily again, letting the warm air from the vents wash over her. She felt Kovit take her hand and bring it to his lips, kissing it gently, and when she cracked her eyes back open to look at him, he was watching her with a worried look. Nita smiled gently at him.

“I’m just ready to be home with you,  _ cariño. _ ” She pulled him to her for a kiss, and giggled. “Listening to Adair nag is better than ignoring judging eyes. And besides, Diana still has to show us The Network, and we still have Darico’s email to go over.” Kovit kissed her back, and smiled.

“As  _ Madam  _ wishes. You call and let them know we’re on our way.” They buckled up, and Nita pulled out her phone again as Kovit put the truck into reverse and pulled away from their spot, leaving the news crews to linger in the cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so in love with this series! Oh My Goddess!! I just can't even begin to explain how much I love it! I hype it up to EVERYONE!!! Rebecca did such an amazing job researching different lore and myths on ghosts and ghoulies and demons, and she did such in depth research on medical stuff to make Nita's abilities believable, it makes my nerdy, geeky, CNA heart happy dance all over the place. 
> 
> Immersion is key for me. It's key for a lot of readers to fall in love with a story or series. But one thing that a lot of people don't think about when doing modern scifi/fanasty series stuff, is just how interconnected myth and legends are with science. If it wasn't for alchemy, we wouldn't have chemistry. Astrology led to astronomy. Our need to answer why led us to better ways and means to do so. And I feel that Rebecca hit that perfect balance of staying true to good science, while at the same time, honoring humanity's history of finding answers in the supernatural and tall tales.
> 
> Kovit's explanation that krasue were probably zannies that simply went overboard and draped their victims' entrails around their necks when they were finished torturing them instead of disembodied heads with guts floating around, that's something I could see happening. Think about it, you're some poor, drunk peasant, heading home in the middle of the night, with a flickering torch in your hand, and out of the dark, all you see is a woman's face covered in blood, and she has dripping guts hanging down under her chin. You're not gonna stick around to see that her robe is covered in blood too, you're gonna get the fuck out of there before you become the next victim! Boom! Ghost story!
> 
> And the explanation that unicorns pierce their victims with their "Horns" being a euphemism for rape to destabilize the soul to be eaten, never have I seen a better, more subtle jab at the whitewashing Christianity and other major religions have done to Pagan and Indigenous Faiths around the world for centuries! Because personal power = threat to governmental/religious institutional power of course. Absolute brilliance! I don't have the space, and I'm sure no one has the patience for that particular rant right now though.
> 
> Gah!! I love this series!! And I hope you guys are enjoying my story. The comments lead me to think so, and the kudos and the number of hits I'm getting do too. I'm just insecure. As I've said, this is the first time I've written a story all out like this, and I want it to be good. And not just good enough for me. I know my humor is off color and off the wall at times, and very morbid, which I think suits the series, but I want the story to be good enough for other fans too. So until next time, let me know what you think, and be good to yourself. And wear comfy socks. Especially the aloe infused ones. One of life's little joys. Blessed Be!


	13. Getting ready for work...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So you know that in between time when you're awake, but don't have to quite leave for work yet? Yeah, this is kinda like that....Hope you enjoy!

When they got back to the shop, Adair and Diana came out to help them unload. Thankfully, since the media still thought they were at the store, none had shown up at the pawnshop yet, but they still hurried so that Nita and Kovit could get inside as quickly as possible. Adair went to park the truck as they and Diana sorted out what stuff would stay downstairs and which would be taken up to the apartment. Nita had just come back down with her laptop and some papers after putting away the cold stuff upstairs when Adair breezed back into the shop, his hair ruffled. Diana and Kovit looked up from putting things away as he strode up to the counter and slammed his hands down.

"Do either of you have any sense of self preservation?" Adair asked, and Nita snorted as she put her laptop on the counter and went to help Diana tetris the snacks into the fridge. 

"You should know better by now Adair." Kovit replied, as he bent back down to put away the tea supplies. "This whole last year should be proof that we're fucking idiots." Adair grimaced in frustration. 

"The last thing we need is Nita going Dexter on customers and dissecting women because they start flirting with you more." Nita gave an indignant cry, and Adair waved her and Diana's glare off, focusing on Kovit, who was avoiding his gaze. "Why put yourself out there for someone you don't know Kovit? What made him different from any other meal?" Kovit stood up angrily, his hands balled up into fists.

"Why go to the bother of fetching John Does, Adair? Why not pick some random person off the street and slaughter them for Diana?" Kovit shoved his face up into Adair's, the two men facing off over the counter while Nita and Diana held each other's arms in front of the open fridge. They stayed silent as the tension in the room rose. "I may choose to hurt people, but I didn't choose for the Grim Reaper to come for that man! I'm no hero, but I'm not so lost to my monster yet that I could just stand there and let him die, alright?!" Adair was silent for several minutes as he stared into Kovit's eyes, then he reached out and pulled him into a half hug.

"Don't go killing yourself trying to prove you're human Kovit. Not to them, and not to yourself. The people who matter already know it. The shop is closed tomorrow so we'll be spared some of the bullshit, for a day at least." The boys pushed each other away before the hug could linger too long, and Adair headed towards the stairwell. "I'm gonna go work. You three join me when you're done up here, no slacking tonight." He coughed and sputtered as he opened the door, waving a hand in front of his face. "And hang up the damn air freshener!" Nita threw the small package at his complaining head as Diana giggled and Kovit slumped against the counter. Adair picked it up delicately from the floor, raising an eyebrow at her as he read the scent. Nita blushed. 

"They were out of vanilla. So make do, or do without, you ass!" She hissed, and Adair smirked. He opened the plastic and hung the freshener on the inside door handle, then slipped away. Kovit sighed and rubbed his face, and Diana gave him a quick hug.

"Sorry Di." He muttered, and she gave him a small smile and ruffled his hair. 

"I get it. None of us fit in a neat little box. Normally that's a good thing, but sometimes it just makes life harder." Diana handed Nita another package of pudding, and Nita was able to just barely make it fit in the fridge.

“That’s all it will hold. Rest will have to go under the counter.” She grabbed the last bag of snacks and kissed Kovit’s cheek before handing it to him. He bent down to put the rest of the groceries away while Nita and Diana unwrapped the picture frames. Diana had made funny, sarcastic signs for the other frames. Nita snorted with amusement as they put them together.

"You don't have to be crazy to work here, we're willing to train you. Oh I like that one. We'll put my paperwork next to it." Kovit chuckled and gathered up the empty bags, wadding them together. 

"Pretty sure you were already crazy Nita. This is just a maintenance program at this point." He said, and tossed the bundled bags in the holder they had for them. Diana cackled. 

"Life is a maintenance program for insanity. I'm pretty proud of these two, made them up myself." She held up the next two signs, the first one reading, 'Please don't press the cashier's buttons, they only cause death, destruction, and/or mayhem' and the second one was 'The cashier's buttons are not labeled. This is for the amusement of the rest of us.' Nita giggled with glee.

"Oh, we are so messed up. Of course, they don't top Adair's sign on the door, but they do continue the theme." Diana and Nita bumped shoulders as they laughed, and Kovit smiled warmly at them. Once they had the signs and paperwork framed, they set them aside to hang up later while Diana counted down the till and Nita opened up her emails. Kovit went to sweep and mop one last time. Nita found The email from Darico, and opened it. The general message was short, but there were several links with explanations of what the links led to, so that Nita would have some idea of what she would see before opening a not so safe for work tab at random. Darico was thoughtful and funny that way. Nita drafted a response to thank the doctor for the information, explaining that she and Kovit hadn't had time to browse it much yet but would soon, and explained what had happened at the store that afternoon with Williams, Navin, and the police. She decided not to say anything about Akasha, since she still didn't know how Adair and Darico were connected, and she didn't want to stir the pot too much. 

Kovit was done mopping by the time Nita finished typing the email, and since Diana was still working on the books for the shop, they decided to check a few of the less risque links that Darico had sent them. The wiki.org articles on asexuality and demisexuality were interesting and concise, and the ones detailing the differences between arousal and attraction had Nita thinking deeply. They shared the articles with Diana, who listened attentively and shared her own thoughts on the subject. Nita had found over the past five months that she appreciated Diana's common sense approach to life.

"Well, it makes sense that arousal and attraction are separate things, even though lots of people would think they are the same." Diana was saying as she added up the total sales for the day, double checking the computer. "I mean, it's easier to tell with guys, just because its kinda difficult to hide a boner, sorry Kovit" he shrugged and grinned, reading the article again and Diana continued "but you can't blame every instance of morning wood on erotic dreams. And enough young teens get embarrassed in school by random hard ons that it isn't always because someone cute walked by." Kovit snickered.

"There is some truth to the saying, "The wind changed direction." Damn, people have really put thought into this, and started to research, haven't they?" Kovit clicked on another link, reading some more, and Nita shared a look with Diana. Diana shrugged.

"I never really thought about it I guess. Strange to think that for at least one aspect of my life, my experience falls into what society calls, the quote/unquote "normal range"." Diana rolled her eyes as Nita laughed, and Kovit paused his reading to grin at them. "Which is obviously bullshit. Just because I may not be able to really relate to everything you guys have felt, doesn't mean what you feel is any less normal. It's just what's normal for you. As long as you're happy and comfortable, and minimizing the harm you do, who am I to judge?" Kovit chuckled darkly. 

"Yes Mother, I'm following my probation terms." he grinned crookedly, and Diana threw a wadded up piece of paper at him, making him laugh more naturally. Nita giggled at them as she scrolled through a few more pages on the wiki site before closing her laptop. 

"It does feel nice to be validated though." She said thoughtfully, and her statement put an end to the paper snowball fight. Kovit wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her shoulder. 

"It does." he agreed softly. "Though it does seem like a lot of terms are saying the same thing, just in a slightly different way. But it doesn't really matter, not if they aren't my labels, huh?" Nita nodded, her eyes distant.

"They aren't for us to use on others. They're there for the person to figure out what feels right. To make the label and the box fit them. Like krasue versus zannie." Kovit looked at her, his dark eyes soft and full of yearning as his arms tightened around her waist. Diana closed the till down, and stretched her back.

“Well, that’s done. What do we want for supper?” She asked to lighten the mood, and they all looked at each other, shrugging. No one wanted to go back out into the cold. They all startled as Adair’s voice drifted out from the stairwell.

“I ordered pizza. It should be here in about 30 minutes. And yes, Diana, I got you extra cheese in a deep dish stuffed crust. I swear your cholesterol must be through the roof!” Diana shrugged sheepishly, and Adair chuckled with everyone.

“Are we ready?” Nita and Kovit nodded, and Diana handed Adair the paperwork for the day. Adair lazily looked through it, pursing his lips as he checked the sales. “Looks like you two earned your rent this month. Let’s go introduce them to The Network, shall we, Di?” They trooped down the stairs, Nita noticing with a bit of a blush that the stairwell did smell fresher thanks to the hanger on the door handle, and gathered around Diana’s station with their chairs. Diana was up front, of course, with Nita and Kovit just behind her and each off slightly to a side so they could see what she was doing. Adair was further back, watching the three like a doting father, as Diana popped her joints and rolled her neck to loosen up. 

“Alright bossman, what do we want to show them first?” She asked, several programs finishing loading on her different monitors. Adair checked his pizza tracker on his phone, and chuckled. 

“Ah, let's do something easy and fun first. Make sure our cook is washing their hands. Hack into the security feeds at the pizza place and let’s watch our food get cooked, make sure they get done right!” Diana cackled and rubbed her hands together, while Kovit and Nita giggled like school children up to mischief. Diana started typing.

“Alright. So there’s a couple ways we can do this. If their feed is just CCTV and internal, all we need to do is break through the firewall on the proxy server through the regular internet. No Network needed. Most places are set up that way, like Tacunan Law was, so that they have a physical copy of their security footage in case they need it for police, and they have a digital backup sent to their corporate headquarters over the internet, so they can re-use their physical tapes after a certain time period. Well, dvds now, but you know what I mean.” Nita nodded, remembering how Diana had explained it last year. Kovit leaned forward, watching closely as Diana typed quickly, switching back and forth between a couple of programs without even touching the mouse. After just a moment, another window popped up on a blank monitor, showing the security feed of the pizza joint, and Nita and Kovit cheered as feed after feed popped up, showing various angles of the kitchen, the register, and the dining room.

The cooks in the kitchen were working their tails off, slamming pizzas through the ovens as fast as possible. Being a Saturday night, the place was packed, and they could see the growing list of orders printing from the computers. Diana typed a couple more lines of code, and they were suddenly able to hear the audio from the feed as well, a cacophony of pots and pans, of people talking and shouting and joking and laughing, of buzzers and timers and whirring machines. Dough was pulled from warmers, sauce was splashed and spread, cheese and topping were sprinkled with practiced hands, orders checked and rechecked before being placed on the conveyor belt that fed into the hot mouth of the oven, the food traveling the long slow line under the heating coils, until it reached the other open end to be whisked away and shoved, still bubbling from the heat, into a cardboard box or carried to a table. It was like watching a choreographed dance, and they were enthralled.

“This is better than the Food Network!” Kovit said as he watched a mountain of pepperoni quickly dwindle under a worker’s hand as they made their fifth pizza since the feed started. He was practically drooling as he licked his lips. “What kind of pizzas did you order again, Adair?” The kelpie chuckled, leaning back in his chair.

“Large meat lovers for you and me Kovit, I know how much we can pack away.” The two guys grinned widely at each other as the girls snickered, and Adair rocked back and forth. “Then the deep dish for Di, and a medium pepperoni for Nita. They gave us a dinner bundle with garlic knots, so it actually came out to about the same price, and you two will have some leftovers for tomorrow.” Nita smiled at him.

“Thanks Adair. Oh shit, that was close!” She exclaimed as two workers nearly collided, one backing up from a counter as the other was walking past. The one walking past leapt out of the way, balancing the pizza they were carrying carefully, and managed to slide it onto the conveyor belt without dropping it. The yelling coming in over the speakers ratcheted up a notch for a few minutes as the two fought until another worker, presumably their manager, told them to get back to work. Diana cackled.

“Kovit’s right. It’s better than T.V., because the tension is real, not just edited to make things seem tense. At least they’ve been keeping things clean for the most part tonight. And the dishwasher has been able to keep up it looks like.” They glanced at the poor schmuck stuck at the sink, though truth be told, they seemed to be having it the easiest that night. The pile of dirty dishes on their right grew and shrank as they worked steadily, just as the pile of clean dishes on their left did, a never ending race that they neither won nor lost. They had a set of earbuds in, and their head bobbed along to some unheard music as they tuned out the chaos around them, their hands swiftly washing and rinsing, and every once in a while their hips or feet breaking into movement as they danced the dishes along.

“Still bet you an ice cream cone to a cheese stick, a pie is gonna end up toppings down on the floor tonight, before ours gets here, Diana!” Adair kicked the back of Diana’s chair, making her laugh. He checked his tracker again. “We still have 20 minutes before they’re out of the oven.”

“Which means they should be starting on making them now….There!” Diana pointed at the worker pulling a deep dish crust from the warmer, and cackled again. “OOOOH, yisss, come to mama! Give me the cheese, baby!!” Diana’s grin was a bit manic, and everyone laughed as her eyes stayed glued on the worker making her pizza. Nita glanced at Adair, his sharp teeth flashing.

“How many times have you done this?” she asked, and he laughed more. It was Diana who answered, even as she continued to watch the screen.

“Far too often, Nita, far too often! T.V. gets boring, it’s too scripted. Spying on real people is fun. Besides, I need to keep my skills sharp, and this gives us a chance to steal people’s credit card info.” Kovit snickered.

“Tell us the real reason, Di! You’re a peeper!” Everyone roared with laughter again, and clutched at their stomachs.

“The stairwell is still off limits!” Adair said, setting them off again, “Regardless of who’s watching and who’s showing off!”

“Not in common areas!” the other three chorused, and they all were breathless, clutching at each other as tears streamed from their eyes. When they finally calmed down again, they saw their pizzas were entering the oven finally.

“Hey, they skimped on the ham!” Kovit whined, and Diana patted his shoulder.

“It will be ok, Kovit, I promise.” She said, and Nita grinned. 

“You two boys are pig enough for us. What do you guys want to drink?” Nita walked to the fridge as the boys protested and Diana giggled, and grabbed drinks for everyone before heading back to her chair. Diana pulled up the feed showing the register as a customer came to pay, and everyone could clearly make out the card information as it was swiped. They also saw the pin number easily, and Diana pulled up another program, copying the card info into it quickly. The program compiled for a few moments, then flashed a window that showed the connected bank account with the person’s information in it. Diana winced.

“Damn, some people have no money management skills. This dude is robbing Peter to pay Paul already. Look at this, take out, take out, take out, pretty sure that’s a porn site subscription. One check this month for rent. More take out. He must have roommates, I don’t see any utilities being paid, unless it’s included in rent, but that’s still a pretty low amount to include everything without roommates. Eh, not worth it.” Diana tapped a few keys, and The Network moved on from the man’s account. There was a commotion in the kitchen, and they all focused back on that feed.

“Did I win the bet?” Adair asked, and Diana made the picture bigger. A waitress was crying, the manager was on the phone, and a couple of the cooks were holding onto one of the others, a big dude who was trying to head into the dining area. Everyone looked at each other wide-eyed.

“Looks like someone harassed her. Shit, think the cops are being called?” Kovit said, and the others looked at Diana. She hit a couple more keys, and the audio cleared up.

“Yes, three men, late teens, early twenties. Another waiter helped her get away, and the three men took off. We’re not sure if they got in a vehicle or not, I haven’t had time to look at the cameras yet, we’ve been swamped. If you could send an officer out, we would appreciate it, I’ll pull a copy of the footage. Thank you.” The manager hung up, and hugged the waitress. “They’re on their way. Why don’t you go sit and wrap silverware in the breakroom til they get here, ok?” The waitress nodded, trying to calm down, and went to the dishwasher’s sink. She washed her hands and he pulled out an earbud, and they spoke for a moment, then she grabbed a basket of clean silverware and a stack of napkins, before disappearing around a wall.

The dishwasher dried his hands and went up to the manager, leaning his head over to speak with them, and they nodded, before the dishwasher headed to the dining room with a buser’s cart. 

Diana made the feed normal again so that the rest of the security footage could be seen, and they watched as people came and went through the dining room. After a bit, Kovit pointed to the oven, and grinned at Adair.

“You lost the bet, dude!” He snickered as Adair grumbled, seeing their pizzas getting boxed up and ready to head out the door to be delivered. Diana bounced in her seat, and Nita giggled as she heard her muttering under her breath.

“Cheese sticks, cheese sticks, yummy gooey cheesy sticks!”

“You are a cheese stick, Di.” Nita bumped shoulders with her friend, and the ghoul flashed a smile.

“I may die at 50, but I’ll die happy! Cheese is life, cheese is love!” she exclaimed, and threw her arms around Nita, pulling her in for a reluctant hug. Kovit and Adair laughed at the face she made.

“Well, at least we know what to get for your birthday then, Diana.” Kovit said, and Adair coughed as Diana blushed. Nita stared at them as Kovit glanced back and forth. “Ok, what are we missing?” Adair chuckled.

“I already got her a fancy cheese plate and knife.” he said with a shit eating grin, and Diana hid her face in Nita’s shoulder. “I think the fancy cheeses that came with the set lasted all of what, Di? Two, maybe three days? If that?” Diana bolted up in her chair, grabbing at Adair and missing completely as he scooted his chair backwards.

“They were sample sizes, you ass!” She yelped as the others laughed and she blushed, and Adair’s phone beeped an alert for his pizza tracker. “And they were yummy!! It’s not like I was just gonna leave tasty cheese to sit on a pretty plate and go moldy!”

“Oh, is it one of those hosting plates?” Nita asked, and Diana nodded as the boys continued to laugh.

“It looks like black and white marble, it’s  _ sooo  _ pretty!” Diana said, and Nita oohed in envy. She and Diana enjoyed looking through catalogs and daydreaming about all the pretty rooms in them. ~ _ Someday, we will have our  _ own  _ place! _ ~ Nita thought hard. ~ _ And I will make it _ pretty!!~ Adair looked at his phone.

“Well, pizza is on it’s way, should only be about 10 more minutes. So what’s next Di?” Diana spun her chair around and looked at Adair, her normally sweet face turning devilish and sly.

“Well...the credit card was a bust…and I’m itching for a big hit, not petty pennies.” Diana swung her chair back and forth, and began to chuckle. Nita and Kovit looked at each other with concern, as they hadn’t seen this side of Diana before. Adair was grinning his too big smile.

“Do we have a phone number to use? The last time we did this, we shut down the entire call center.” Diana nodded eagerly.

“Oh yes. Completely new number. Called last week in fact. Already tracked it down to a center in India, checked the system and the back-doors, they even have a security system so we can watch as I fuck with them, it’s perfect. Especially if we want to show these two how we can utilize The Network. The center runs a bit of everything, from IRS calls to hotel ones. I figure we can pose as a hotel, siphon some funds, and leave behind some destruction in our wake.” Adair pretended to think about it, and Diana leaned forward. “Please Adair! I’ve been good lately, let me have some fun!” Adair chuckled evilly, and stood up.

“Alright. Kovit, Nita, help Diana set up. I’ll go get the pizza, and we’ll eat as Diana explains what we’ll be doing.” He headed towards the stairs as Diana did a victory dance and shot off in between the cabinets. Adair glanced back at Nita and Kovit’s confused and concerned expressions and chuckled more. “We’re gonna play with some scammers.” He said before heading upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buwahahahahah! Sorry for the wait, I've had a shit week, and that always slows down my writing since I don't want my bad mood to affect the story. But here is another little taste for you all!
> 
> And just so you all know...I know absolutely fucking nothing about hacking. So what you read in this story, in this chapter and in the next few is going to be a sad conglomeration of half cracked ideas that sound good and probably come from either tv or movies, and metagaming using my "Network". Deus ex Machina for the win!!! I'm a bad kitty.
> 
> Though I will be pulling ideas from some youtube videos from Malcolm Merlyn and Kitboga, because me and hubby love seeing scammers get their comeuppance. Check them out if you want to see scammers lose their shit, they are hilarious!!
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with me, and giving my story love and a solid following. Until next time, remember, cheese is love, cheese is life. All hail the CHEESE!! Blessed Be!


	14. Scamming the Scammers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How badly can Diana wreck a scammer's call center? Well now, it doesn't do to underestimate our dear Diana, now does it? Please enjoy!

When Adair got back downstairs carrying the pizzas, Diana and Kovit were under her desk, arranging various cords, and Nita was wheeling over a small server from the back of the room. Adair set the boxes in his chair and went to grab the tv trays from his gaming room. 

“Wait Kovit, the green cord goes into  _ that  _ access port, and the yellow one goes  _ here _ !” Diana was saying, pointing out where cords had gotten crossed. “We want to access The Network from both computers to start, not fry the laptop. Ah, thank you Nita! Park it right...there. Perfect. Now, we hook up the laptop to the small server like  _ sooo _ , and that way, once I send the scammers to the dummy hotel operating system it creates a feedback loop they can’t escape from. Oh, this is gonna be so much  _ fun _ !!!” Diana wiggled out from under the desk and set the laptop carefully on top of the server, leaving it open. Nita was helping Adair set up the trays while Kovit carefully crawled over cords, doing his best not to upset anything. He really didn’t want Diana to chew his head off.

They sat down again to the enticing smells of greasy pizza and garlic knots, and began to eat. Nita groaned with bliss at the taste of butter and garlic on soft puffy bread, not even bothering with the dipping sauce that came with it. ~ _ Thank god campus is  _ huge  _ and I walk everywhere. _ ~ she thought as she devoured another piece of bread hungrily. ~ _ Otherwise, even  _ with  _ my abilities, I’d end up fat. Oh, but I love carbs! _ ~ The only sounds to be heard from the group for a little while was contented munching, or requests for the box of garlic knots to be passed around. Once their immediate hunger was satiated, and only about a third of her deep dish was left, Diana sat back with a sigh and burped loudly, making Nita giggle.

“You’re such a guy, Diana.” 

“Yummy cheese.” was the reply, followed by a loud belch from Kovit. Diana high fived him as they laughed, and Nita shook her head in exasperation, covering her face with a hand. They all looked up as Adair let out a low, growling sound that ended in a rolling rumble as he burped, the smell of pizza and rotting meat washing over them as the girls gagged and Kovit whooped, giving Adair a double high five while laughing and coughing. 

“Dude! Good one!” Kovit exclaimed, while Nita pinched her nose.

“I’m surrounded by idiots!” she whispered, and when she looked up, Nita saw that everyone was looking at her expectantly. “Really guys? Are you serious?” When they didn’t answer except to grin, Nita sighed and snagged her bottle of Sprite, taking a large drink. She rolled her eyes as she felt the carbonation bubble up, and let out a small, squeaky burp with a shrug. Diana and Kovit burst out laughing, and Adair applauded softly with a grin.

“Very ladylike Nita, very petite.” he snarked, and Nita flipped him off, making him chuckle. 

“I thought we were going to rob scammers, not try to win the grossest belch award.” Nita grumbled, though she was smiling. Diana nodded.

“Oh, we are. While we’ve been eating, my lovely little programs have been whittling away at the firewalls of the scammer’s programs. See, we could be  _ boring _ , and just sneak in and pilfer money. But that’s no  _ fun _ .” Diana turned around and typed a few keys, bringing up a few different programs. “Plus, I’m  _ supposed  _ to be showing off, showing you the different ways I can use The Network to hack and get information. Now, I already showed you the program that logs into bank accounts earlier. And while we may not be Robinhood, unless you count ourselves as the poor we give too, I prefer  _ not  _ to steal from others who aren’t any better off than us.”

“And certainly not now that we have a steady supply of customers to milk.” Adair snickered, eyeing Kovit sidelong. Nita gaped at him as Kovit rolled his eyes. 

“I’m glad our emotional distress brings you profit Adair…” Kovit muttered, and Adair laughed.

“Oh, now, don’t take it the wrong way. I’m just looking for the silver linings. And they do help keep other, less savory elements at bay, even though they are unwitting shields.” Everyone snorted at the cool assessment and brushed the thought aside. Diana was finishing pulling up programs.

“Now, what I’m gonna do is several things at once, so pay attention here. First, I’m gonna break into their security system, so we can see how many people are working in the center. This isn’t the biggest center I’ve pulled down, so I’m not expecting a huge huge score, but it’s a decent sized one, running multiple scams, so we’ll see. Then, as you can see here,” Diana pointed to a program that looked like a telephone system on her main computer. “I have a proxy phone set up with a fake number already ready to go. I’m gonna add that number to the center’s hotel call list. Places like this get huge lists of phone numbers, doesn’t matter if they are land lines, cell phones, business numbers, you name it, they get them, from all sorts of places. Whenever a business asks for your number, a website, a survey, doctor’s office, hell, they even get numbers from phone books and online registries. Then these places sort the kind of numbers they have into lists so the right kind of scam call gets called out to them, and they get put into autodialers.” Nita nodded in understanding.

“So it doesn’t really matter if the scammer gets hung up on 20 times in ten minutes, because they aren’t wasting time dialing the numbers, and that 21st answer may be the one that they sucker in. Quantity has a quality all its own.” Diana clicked her tongue against her retainer.

“Bingo! So, since I want us to get a call about a hotel scam, I just add our fake number to the hotel autodialer. Now, that call could be anything, from, “Hello, this is Jimbob from technical support, we need to manually update your system!”” Diana put a fake Indian accent into her voice that had everyone laughing, “To “This is Sarah from Accounting, you are going to be receiving a very important shipment tomorrow, however, it looks like one of the payments didn’t go through. I need you to send a payment through for blah blah blah amount through Western Union”, even though it’s 1 am and the real Western Union Offices would be closed.” Kovit snorted.

“Holy shit. People fall for this?” Diana nodded her head sadly.

“Scammers are great manipulators, unfortunately. You get someone who has been doing this for a while, and they don’t even need a script. They start out by saying something along the lines of, oh, your boss didn’t tell you I’d be calling? Are you sure? They didn’t leave a note even? Hmm, that doesn’t sound right. They get inside your head and make you question if you know how to do your job. Then they talk so fast and use big words, or talk about expensive equipment, and people get nervous thinking their jobs are gonna be on the line if stuff doesn’t arrive on time. Not many places give workers autonomy.” Kovit frowned.

“Sounds like abuse…” He muttered, and the others nodded.

“Pretty much how scammers work. Psychological manipulation and abuse, to get their victims to do what they want.” Adair said, his lips pursed as he leaned back. “But, if you know how their game works, you can stall them, play with them. Or use their game against them, like we do. I’ve never had qualms about being a thief, but even I have to admit, Diana is right. Why go after minnows and ruin some honest schmuck’s day who is just trying to survive, when we can go after a real asshole and snag a pike on the line. It’s not like these people can go to their bank and claim fraud.” Adair’s grin was all teeth as he leered at them, and they all grinned back just as broadly.

“So once we have them on the line, what next Di?” Nita asked, getting excited. Diana stretched. 

“Well, after that, it kinda depends on which scam they are trying to pull, but hopefully it’s one that I can route them to the fake hotel operating system. If they ask for remote access, I get them over to the laptop, and get them stuck in the feedback loop while I piggyback on their access code to hack into their systems. The first “account” in the fake system has the only real credit card info, and that’s set up to a limit of $100. Once they nab that and put it into their money laundering system, that will give me access to that, and I can start the transfers from their accounts to ours, and lock them out. And then, the longer they try to grab card info or access their programs, the longer the fake operating system has to download the virus onto their computers.” Diana giggled manically. “And then we can watch the shitshow. Scammers are always the same. Set up fast and cheap, which means a shared server, which means fast and easy spread of viruses on a network. Oh, I wonder how many are gonna cry this time!” Adair laughed.

“What do you want to bet if they have women working there, some of them are just gonna stand up and walk out the door, not saying a word?” Kovit and Nita looked between them.

“That’s happened before?” Nita asked softly, trying not to laugh, and Diana nodded.

“They got so frustrated with their computers not working, they just up and left. One time, one guy punched his fist through his monitor. Oh! I should play “Crazy Frog”! I haven’t done that in ages!” Diana turned to the laptop, and pulled up a screen that was all code. She scrolled down and read through it a bit before changing a few lines, cackling as she did so. Adair groaned.

“Oh no, what have I unleashed unto the world?” He asked wearily, and Diana giggled. “Why are you punishing us too?” Diana stuck her tongue out at him.

“I’m not. It’s not like we are going to be the ones stuck listening to the song. And besides, it only plays snippets to start with, from various speakers, until the whole system crashes. Baby Shark was the song that drove the guy to smash his computer.” Adair snickered.

“I would too if I was forced to listen to that damn thing. Do “Hamster Dance” instead. At least that ones cute, and has funny pictures to go along with it. No high pitched nonsense sounds in the middle. And you put effort into the animation on that one Diana.” Diana thought for a moment before deleting the code she had entered and typing in a different one. She threw Adair a look over her shoulder.

“You just don’t like frogs.” She muttered, and everyone chuckled.

“That’s besides the point. You really did put effort into “Hamster Dance” Di, admit it.” Diana reluctantly nodded. 

“Maybe a little too much effort, hamsters are just too cute. Alright. So “Hamster Dance” it is, and the confusion of random pictures flashing on their screens or animated hamsters running on their backgrounds will be funny to watch too. Ok, lets see. Phone number tracker, check. Remote access programs, check. Proxy hotel system with feedback loop, check. Alright, let me double check the coding for the virus and then we can break into the security system and get started.” Diana reviewed the code again, then handed the others remote headsets. Hers was the only one with a microphone, but they didn’t want the game to be blown by having the scammer hear their own voice. Then Diana pulled up the security feed and everyone could see that the scammers were in a medium sized office space, jammed full of computers in small cubicles. 

“Poor things, they barely have any leg room.” Kovit snidely remarked, and Adair smiled widely. “At least you give us space to breath, boss!”

“And look at how old their equipment is…” Nita said, flabbergasted. “I mean, I know old is the new new, but my goodness, how long does it take them to download stuff?” Diana grinned meanly.

“Some of it is good for work arounds, and again, cheap set up to make the most profit. Plus newer firewalls and stuff don’t recognize the old systems as often, so sometimes you can stroll right in rather having to waste time sneaking in a back door to programs. Or they could be piece-meal custom built machines. We wouldn’t know unless we took the covers off. Alright, we ready to play?” Nita and Kovit nodded eagerly, and Diana rolled her head on her neck again. “Ok boys and girls, keep an eye out for our little worker bee. Here we go!” Diana pulled up the center’s call list for hotels, and copied and pasted their number into it, towards the midtop. It was highlighted on her screen so they could keep track of when it would be called, and the numbers ahead of it ticked off in a steady, rapid pace. It seemed that there were a group of six or seven scammers that were working on the hotel list that night, and as their calls got disconnected, their autodialers connected a new one. Nita let out an excited squeal as their number moved to the top five, and Adair nudged her, a finger to his lips. Kovit counted down under his breath.

“Four…..three...twooooo……” They all jumped when the computer rang, and Diana clicked the answer button, her voice smooth and practiced despite her huge grin.

“Thank you for calling Toronto’s Best Rest Bed and Breakfast, Proud Partner with Choice Hotels, this is Diana, how may I help you this evening?” They saw one of the workers sit up and start typing on his computer, and Diana shot the others a sly look as she pointed to him. 

“Hello Diana, you said? This is Nathan, from technical support.” The man’s Indian accent was heavy, and Diana pumped a fist in victory as Nita and Kovit bounced in their seats. “We contacted your manager earlier today to let them know that your accounting system would be updated this evening, did they pass on our message?” Diana wiggled down comfortably into her chair, and her tone took on a surprised edge.

“Oh my, no he didn’t. Then again, Adair tends to keep things to himself, even though he knows he can count on my help.” Nita and Kovit bit their fists to hold in their snickers as Adair flipped off the back of Diana’s head, and she continued smuggly. “Did something go wrong with the update? I’d hate for the audit to not run right and cause him a headache in the morning.” They saw the worker pull up a remote access program on his computer.

“It seems that way Miss Diana. Now when we spoke with Mr. Aldan, we let him know that if the update didn’t go through, we would call and see if we could fix the problem remotely, but that would mean having to download a program that would let us access your computer from ours.” Adair threw up his hands at the mispronunciation of his names, and pouted. Nita pressed her hands over her mouth and nose to suppress her giggles. Diana was struggling to keep a straight face.

“Oh yes!” She replied, keeping her tone happy and professional. “I know what you’re talking about.” The worker paused on screen for a moment.

“You..do?” he asked, sounding uncertain as Diana veered off script.

“Yes. We had to do that before when ADAIR went out of town once for a conference, and I had an issue with the system.” Diana couldn’t help but point out where the scammer had messed up, but the man didn’t take notice. “So he accessed our system from his laptop, and was able to fix it. In fact, I think the program is still on file.” Diana checked the program the scammer was using, and pulled up the corresponding one on the laptop. When she rattled off the program name to the scammer, they saw his face light up on the security feed.

“Wonderful, that will save us a lot of time Miss Diana, as long as it is up-to-date. Can you open that program, and in the top left corner, tell me what version it says next to the name?” Diana did so, and they saw the scammer do a small victory dance in his seat. Diana muted herself to laugh. “That will work just fine. Now, in the program, do you see the section that says generate access code?” Diana rolled her eyes.

“Yes I do Nathan.” She replied sweetly, sticking out her tongue and acting like she was gagging on her finger, then flipping the monitor off. He was nodding excitedly as he typed. 

“Alright, what I need you to do is click the button to generate a code, and then give me that code, which I’ll enter into my computer. I have the same program running, and once I have your access code, I’ll be able to see your system and control it to fix the update. Once that’s done, I’ll close the access program, and that will restore control to you, ok Diana?” They all heard the smug oiliness in Nathan’s voice, and they all glared at the man through the monitor. How Diana was able to maintain her customer service voice, Nita wasn’t sure.

“That makes sense Nathan. Though if I remember right, if I move my mouse, it will disrupt your work. Give me just a few moments, I need to print off a few reports for my paperwork. This update won’t interrupt the printer, will it?” Diana kept her voice innocent as she pulled up programs for the feedback loop and to back track into the scammer’s computer once she sent the access code. Her smile was vicious as she set it up, and it mirrored the one they saw on Nathan’s face.

“Of course not Diana. Just let me know once the reports are done printing, and we can get started.” Diana hummed her thanks, and double checked everything before clicking the button to generate the access code. When she gave the code to the man, they watched as he entered it into his computer, and then waited as the laptop’s system came up on his screen. Diana hit a couple of keys, and Nathan’s system was on her main screen, and she began to burrow into the system as it duplicated on multiple monitors. 

“Alright Miss Diana. Looks like I have access now, so you can sit back and relax. I’ll have the system updated and fixed shortly, and Mr. Aldan won’t have a thing to worry about in the morning.” Nathan opened up the first portfolio and copied the credit card information, moving it to his computer and into a program that ran it to check if it was valid. Once it was validated, he put the information into another program that pulled funds off of it. That was the program Diana pounced on, reclaiming the funds that Nathan had just pulled, then shifting through the program’s different coding operations to find other accounts money had been transferred too and pulling funds from those accounts.

“You have no idea how much that means to me Nathan.” Diana’s voice was sugary sweet, and as she saw Nathan return to the fake hotel system to pull more card information, she hit a key on the laptop’s keyboard to send him to the feedback loop. Then she went back to infiltrating other computers on the network as the siphoning program chugged away. “I really do try my best to make things as easy as possible for my manager. So really, thank you so very,  _ very  _ much for your help tonight.”

“Of course Miss Diana.” Nathan’s voice was distracted as he tried to return to his computer screen with another card’s information, but kept getting the fake hotel computer screen. “Um, Miss Diana...by any chance, are you hitting a key or moving the mouse at all? I can’t seem to get back to my screen...what the?” The screen flashed a picture of a hamster chewing on a carrot, then went back after just a second. They all watched as the man reared back from his computer, confusion clear on his face in the security feed. A few of the other workers were having the same reactions to their computers.

“I don’t think so Nathan. I’m just working on my paperwork.” Diana smiled widely, still typing as her system worked away. “Though I may have hit something as I was working. I’m sorry.” Nathan shook his head, and more of his coworkers started to mutter to themselves.

“It’s alright. I thought I saw something. I just want to make sure this update goes smoothly. I’m able to get back to my computer now.” He was still trying to validate card information, but since none of the rest of the cards weren’t real, they were all giving him errors. Suddenly, techno music was playing from over the feed from several different computers for a few seconds. Nathan looked around with his coworkers, trying to find the source. Other coworkers were blushing or hiding their faces. Kovit was red in the face trying to hold in his laughter. A gif of a dancing hamster on his screen brought Nathan’s attention back to his screen as his speakers came on next, and his jaw dropped. “Um, Miss Diana, are you still there?”

“Of course Nathan. Is everything alright? You sound upset.” Diana answered smoothly, and they saw him blink several times.

“By any chance, were you watching videos on your work computer today?” Nathan scratched his head, and more music made him whip around as more of his coworkers had the dancing hamster come up on their screens for seconds at a time.

“Excuse me?” Diana injected indignation into her voice, though it wobbled from holding back laughter too. “That’s very unprofessional Nathan!” The man shook his head again.

“No, no, Miss, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to imply anything improper. I just, I saw a dancing hamster on the screen just now…”

“Now Nathan, I don’t know what sort of videos you watch, but I assure you, the only things that happen on  _ my  _ work computer are work related. And you better believe that this will be reported to HR. To accuse someone of watching smut at work! And smut that includes innocent animals at that! What kind of depraved mentality…” There was a click as Nathan hung up, and everyone roared with laughter. Diana pulled off her headset and turned on the speakers, then pulled their phone number off the autodialer list. Everyone else pulled off their headsets as well, wiping tears off their faces. “Alright, time to up the game, and really fuck with them.” 

“Oh god Diana! Did you see his face when you accused him of beastiality?” Kovit gasped weakly, clutching at his chest. Adair was coughing harshly, while Nita was slumped back in her chair, unable to speak for laughing. 

“I’m evil! Pure Evil!!!” Diana cackled, her hands flying over the keyboard. They soon saw that she was speeding up the movement of the virus, as the flashes of hamster pictures came up on screens more frequently, and lasted longer. And not just one picture either. There were hamsters sleeping, hamsters in wheels, some eating. Some hamsters outside, one in a christmas stocking. Fat hamsters, skinny hamsters, hamsters cuddling each other or humans. There was one in a boat, looking like it was fishing. Hamsters with different toys and cages. And those were just the pictures of real hamsters. Pretty soon, the song was playing constantly, and each of the screens in the center had an animated border with hamsters crawling, jumping, dancing, and twirling around each other. 

The phones started to ring into the center, and when the workers would pick them up, the song would be playing, so whether it was through their computer speakers or their phones, the people couldn’t get away from the music. As Adair had predicted, some of the people just stood up and left when they weren’t able to work any more, while others sat at their desks pulling at their hair in frustration or crying. There were a couple of women who were sitting next to each other who were dancing in their seats and seemed to be enjoying themselves, at least when no one else was looking at them, and they pulled out a pack of cards and started playing a game together.

“How long will this last?” Nita asked, delight all over her features as she watched what looked like the manager run all over the place, trying to restart computers only to find they either wouldn’t reboot, or had the blue screen of death. Diana cackled.

“Well, since it moved to their inbound phone system? They’re screwed. The virus has killed everything. I used the 10 hour techno version of The Hamster Dance, so if they really want to stick it out, they can listen to it for that long, but even then, they won’t recover anything. And as you can see, restarting the computers just kills the system sooner. Beautiful, isn’t it?” 

“That it is Diana, that it is.” Adair chuckled, finally getting his breath back. “Do you feel better now that you’ve flexed?” 

“All bow before the Queen!” Diana stretched with a giggle, and Kovit did without getting up from his chair.

“We’re not worthy, we’re not worthy!!!” He said, and Nita laughed and clapped.

“No we’re not.” She agreed. “So Your Majesty, do we leave the peasants to suffer?” Diana nodded, and pulled up the accounting program.

“Lets see how much taxes we squeezed from them first….Hooo, not bad!” Diana did a victory dance in her chair, and started to close down the programs she had used to hack and bring down the scammers. She opened up a couple others, typing some commands before closing them and spinning her chair around to face everyone with a broad smile full of self satisfaction. “Almost $60,000. Not bad at all for a night of fun, if I do say so for myself.” 

“Holy shit!” Nita exclaimed, and Kovit began to bow again, repeating the refrain of not being worthy. Adair just grinned at Diana, a satisfied glint in his eyes. 

“I think that calls for some fancy cheese, Di, not just cheese sticks, to fulfill the bet. I’ll walk you home.” Diana let out a whoop, and set her computer up to restart. They all cleaned up the workroom and then headed upstairs to the shop, to see Adair and Diana out. Diana bundled up against the cold, with hat and scarf, then hugged Nita and Kovit. They checked out the windows before heading to the door, but the news crews still hadn’t shown up, which had them nervous.

"We'll see how they are tomorrow afternoon when we get here." Diana said sourly, pulling on her gloves.

“Maybe they’ve decided to leave us in peace?” Kovit said with fake optimism, and Adair snorted.

“More likely it’s just because of how late it is. Think you two can lock up without causing a scandal?” he asked, and Nita smacked his arm.

“Har har. Watch it. Boiling water’s not the only threat I have now.” Nita grinned at Adair’s wary look. She pumped hormones into her bloodstream, feeling herself warm up, and then Adair was clapping a hand over his nose and rushing to the door as his glamour rippled into a coat.

“You’ve made your point Nita!!” Adair’s voice was muffled as he yanked the door open, gulping at the fresh air. “That wasn’t nice!” He glared at her as Diana and Kovit stared at her wide eyed as she giggled.

“What did you do?” Kovit asked as he leaned closer, then his eyes closed halfway and he leaned even closer as he caught wind of her scent and his mind went fuzzy. “Ohh...you smell  _ goood… _ ” he whispered as he nuzzled her chin. Nita nuzzled him back, until Diana’s laughter broke the spell as she walked to the door.

“You two have _fun_!” She called, and Nita waved as Diana took Adair’s arm, even as he protested, “Not in common areas!”, and then Diana was dragging Adair away as Nita locked up behind them. “Stop it Adair. The more you tease, the more they’re gonna push it. Now let's go get my cheese!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for life experience. I currently work in a hotel. And yes, scammers call so very often. Me and hubby love to fuck with them, and rate how the calls go. I figure if they are stuck on the line with me, less time spent suckering someone that will fall for their shit. 
> 
> So another delicious taste for everyone! I hope you enjoyed it. And yes, I was listening to the 10 hour techno version of the hamster dance while typing this. I love the little things that get me in the groove. It's cold and snowy here, and the song is happy. Annoying, but happy. And now it's stuck in my head, but it helped get me out of my funk this week and churn out this chapter, so, worth it. 
> 
> Don't fall for scammers. Fuck with them when you can, if you want too. Public service is good. But don't let yourself get burned. If only we all could make $60,000 for an hour or so of fun, right? Anyways, love to all of you who love this, I keep seeing the hits go up, and that makes my heart happy. Some more smut is on the way, and then some more angst, just so you know. Because I'm evil like that. Buwahahahahah! Blessed Be Loves!!


	15. Hunting is Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When left to their own devices, what games do our two little monsters come up with? Well...read to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, So Good News: I figured out how to fix the wonky Chapter numbering. Bad News: I probably will have to do this for every chapter from here on out....and I might forget to do that from time to time...so sorry if it gets confusing sometimes. No, I didn't miss a chapter, I promise. What happened, is I tried to save a draft of chapter 14, and the draft didn't save. So I simply re-uploaded it, yay for google docs! Problem being, since I'm going between 2 computers while I'm doing this....yeah, AO3 thought I uploaded Chapter 15 instead of 14...But now it's fixed. We all good. For now. Buwahahahaha. hahahaha. hahah. ha....=T.T= I is not the smertest kitty.

Kovit grinned darkly at Nita as she turned around from the door, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to him tightly.

“So you can lure me under your spell on command now, is that it?” He asked, and Nita blushed, and giggled.

“Not precisely. Pheromones aren’t a spell Kovit. I just increased my production of them, and opened my sweat glands. You’re receptive to them because you’re a human male, and we have an emotional bond. Kovit!” Nita gasped in pleasure as he tipped her head back and licked her throat, humming against her pulse.

“Witchcraft explained by science is _still_ witchcraft, Bambi, and I most definitely am under your spell.” Kovit pulled her close and kissed her deeply, making Nita moan in need. When they pulled apart, they were panting.

“We should head upstairs, before Adair comes back to bite our heads off.” Nita whined. Kovit kissed her again, then loosened his hold of her to let her slip away. Nita headed for the stairwell, then paused when she didn’t hear him following her. Turning, she saw Kovit watching her with glittering eyes, his hand on the light switch by the door. She gave him a perplexed look. “Kovit?” The smile he gave her was crooked, and almost...feral?

“You said something earlier today Bambi. About me being the big, bad, wolf.” Nita felt her heart start to race as Kovit appraised her up and down, and licked his lips. She glanced around. If Kovit turned off the front lights, the lights in the back half of the store would still give them enough light to see by in the spaces between the shelves, but just barely. 

“I did…” Nita agreed, and bit her lip, trying not to sound too eager, but saw by the way Kovit’s smile widened that she failed. She began to pant again as she saw Kovit shift his weight to his leading foot.

“You also said that I have better prey now, one that  _ likes  _ being chased…” Kovit teased, his voice rough and husky. Nita thought she was going to catch fire from how hot she felt. She gave him a coy smile before turning towards the stairwell again, and taking another step.

“Sounds like the wolf is hungry.” She purred at him, and then began to giggle as the light switch clicked and the room went dim. Nita listened to Kovit’s swift, soft steps and dodged his grab for her waist, laughing happily as she saw his excited expression in the dim light before sliding between a set of shelves. “Missed me! You’ll have to do better than that if you want your dinner, Flower!” Nita taunted as she slipped further down the aisle while Kovit got his feet back under him to chase after her.

“Damn it! No cheating and turning off your pain Bambi! This is a fair game of hide and seek!” 

“I would never cheat! Distract you with a finger to slip from your grasp, maybe. Though how is it hide and seek if you know where I’m at by my pain, hmm?” 

“I don’t have pinpoint accuracy Nita!” Kovit laughed, glancing around as he came to an intersection. “It’s like playing Marco Polo, just, not with sound.” He slunk down an aisle, his eyes darting back and forth as he looked for Nita, then whirled around when he heard her giggle behind him. It took him a moment to see her wiggling her fingers at him from behind the shelf he had just passed, and he groaned in happy frustration.

“Polo!” Nita quipped as she took off running in the opposite direction. Kovit sprinted after her, arms flailing as they came to the intersection and he tried to catch hold of her. She barely managed to slip away again, shooting off into the shadows  _ again _ , and Kovit let out a growl this time. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was that made him think to propose this game, but when he licked her just a bit ago, she smelled and tasted so  _ damn good _ , it brought to mind her words from the store, and how she looked making Akasha back down. Kovit began to stalk down the dark aisle, following the little tell-tale signals of Nita’s pain, his memories racing as fast as his heart. His Bambi was a huntress in her own right, for all she was sweet and innocent looking at first glance, and the dangerous aura she gave off called to his, setting his blood on fire. 

“ _ Bambi _ ....” Kovit called out softly, licking his lips. The traces of her taste had him trembling with need. “Come out, come out, wherever you _are_....”

“Or what Flower?” Nita’s teasing voice came from his left, and Kovit followed it. “You’ll huff, and you’ll puff, and you’ll blow  _ all  _ my clothes off?” Kovit leaned against a shelf as he watched Nita slowly back up towards him, and he grinned smugly. Reaching out from the shadows, he leaned forward and whispered, “Maybe. Boo.” and blew in her ear as he snagged her by the waist, making Nita screech and giggle with fright. Kovit laughed as Nita spun in his arms, wiggling, and he gripped her shirt tightly.

“Ah, ah, ah. I caught my prey fair and square. It’s only right I get to gobble you all up.” Kovit grinned, and Nita bit her lip.

“Oh really? You think so?” Nita challenged, wriggling harder, and Kovit leaned in to kiss her with another laugh, only to find himself stumbling forward holding just her shirt as Nita bent down and away with an airy giggle, her hands and arms behind her back as she slipped free again. “I think you shouldn’t underestimate your prey Flower! Really, the wolf needs to work on his pouncing skills if all he got was a  _ shirt _ !”Kovit turned to her with a smirk, and slung her shirt over his shoulder as they squared off. 

“I thought the objective was to get  _ upstairs  _ Bambi. I didn’t know we were playing strip chase too. So I don’t get a kiss for winning the first round?” He asked slyly, taking a step forward. Nita shook her head, and took a matching step back, grinning.

“Nope, because then you’ll try to claim you caught me again, and I should lose the bra, or my pants.” 

“Oh? We’re skipping the socks?” Kovit asked, trying for innocence but failing due to his wide grin. Nita snorted.

“You always skip the socks in a strip game Kovit, even I know that!” Kovit laughed and bent over. “What are you doing?” Nita asked as Kovit tugged one off.

“If we’re skipping the socks Nita, may as well take them off now then. Better traction on the wooden floor.” 

“Hey! That’s cheating!”

“Never said you couldn’t take yours off!” Nita giggled breathlessly as she hurried to copy Kovit, hopping on one foot as she tugged on her sock. Kovit got done with his second one before Nita was done with her first, and she was laughing as he sauntered up to her, caging her with his arms against a shelf. ” _ Now _ I get my kisses!” Kovit pulled Nita flush against him and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her bare waist as he held her tightly. Nita ran her hand through his hair, scratching at his scalp, and Kovit shivered.

“No fair.” Nita pouted when Kovit pulled back, and he grinned at her, kissing her nose.

“Totally fair. But I tell you what, to even things up a bit, I’ll lose  _ my  _ shirt, while you lose your jeans. How does that sound?” Nita stuck out her lower lip.

“Like you still cheated, but you want to see me jiggle, so you’re willing to give me eye candy in return. Which is too tempting to pass up. Shirt off and more kisses before we get back to running.” Kovit chuckled darkly.

“Oh, believe me Bambi, I’m not done kissing you yet. That one was for winning round one. Since you made me take your shirt off though, I think it’s only fair for you to do the same for me…” Nita smiled wickedly as she ran her fingers under the hem of his shirt, making Kovit shiver again. She slowly ran her hands upwards, and Kovit let out a low groan as Nita peeled his shirt off, dragging her nails over his skin. "God _yes_ Nita!"

"You sure  _ you  _ don't want to be chased,  _ cariño _ ?" Nita asked in a husky whisper, nibbling at his throat as he finished pulling his shirt off over his head, and she raked her nails over his chest again.

"Maybe next time sweetheart." He answered and pulled her to him roughly to kiss her again. Their lips met and parted, slotting together as they shared breathy moans and hot gasps. Hands roamed and clutched tightly at sweat soaked skin, and Nita felt her lungs burning with neediness. When Kovit pulled back, his chest was heaving, and his eyes were closed. “If we’re going to keep playing chase Bambi, and not break the rules about communal spaces, we should get back to the game…” he growled as he ground himself into her, and Nita moaned and panted as her heart thundered in her chest. ~ _ Choices, choices. So many choices… _ ~ Nita thought, and grabbed his wrist, bringing his hand to the button of her jeans. Kovit’s eyes popped open as he sucked in a harsh breath, and Nita whimpered at the yearning, hungry look in his eyes as she slipped her phone from her pocket, putting it on the shelf behind her.

“If we’re getting back to the  _ game _ , Flower,” she said softly, running a hand through Kovit’s hair, and bit her lip gently. “You had better take your forfeit. I don’t want you to accuse me of  _ cheating  _ again.” Nita could feel Kovit’s heart trip under her other palm that was resting on his chest, and he let out a shuddering breath and leaned in to kiss her gently.

“Are you sure?” he whispered against her lips, and Nita nodded, kissing the corner of his mouth and his cheek as she nuzzled him, her arms draped over his shoulders as she drug her nails gently across his back. Kovit ran his trembling hands over the smooth expanse of her belly, feeling Nita’s muscles clench, and up to her chest, kneading her breasts through her bra, making Nita moan loudly as he trailed kisses down her throat and cleavage. His hands slipped to her waist, holding her still as he knelt in front of her, never once stopping his kisses. Kovit dipped his tongue briefly into her bellybutton, making Nita gasp and giggle, and she dug her fingers into his scalp, making Kovit groan as he pressed his face into her skin as he held her, trying to reign in his excitement. 

“Kovit?” Nita’s voice was worried under the breathlessness, and he nuzzled into her again.

“I’m alright Bambi. Just very excited.” He made the mistake of looking up, to see Nita painted in stripes of bronze and shadow from the dim lighting, her eyes two pools of molten gold as she whimpered and shifted with excitement, even as she leaned back against the shelf behind her. Kovit felt himself straining against his jeans and groaned again. “Dear God, Nita! Fuck you’re gorgeous!”

Nita let out a sobbing gasp as she watched Kovit’s hands slowly make their way to the waistband of her jeans, part of her begging for him to hurry, and another begging him to never stop. She was so on edge, she wouldn’t be surprised if she came then and there, and it felt like she couldn’t get enough air. It didn’t help that Kovit was kissing and nibbling at her stomach again, making her twitch and clench at the almost tickling sensation, her nerves on fire as she felt him tremble while he undid her pants and slide his hands around her hips to gently squeeze her ass. Nita fisted her hands in his hair again as she arched into his touch, a low moan escaping her as the squeezing became firmer and more sure. Kovit kept his face pressed to her belly, almost as though he was afraid to look, though Nita felt him shifting as he panted against her. 

Kovit began to shift his hands down Nita’s thighs, pulling her jeans down with him as he kept messaging and kneading her soft flesh. ~ _ God she’s  so  soft  _ everywhere _! And she smells so  _ good _! _ ~ He thought as he opened his eyes to see that he had pulled her jeans down to her knees. As he gazed at her thighs shifting together, his eyes were drawn upwards, towards her mound that was still covered by her underwear, and Kovit felt like his lungs had stopped working. Covered by very wet, _almost_ transparent, underwear. Kovit’s eyes went huge for a moment, before he closed them tightly, and pressed his face to Nita’s stomach again as he panted harshly. But the image was still there, seared into his brain, into the back of his eyes, and it taunted him, teased him with the knowledge of why Nita smelt so good, so strongly. ~ _ FUCK! I DID THAT?! _ ~ He thought with a bewildered whimper, pride warring with nerves. Kovit opened his eyes again with determination. If he didn’t get these pants off of her  _ now _ , they were never going to make it upstairs that night.

Nita moaned again as Kovit’s grip on her legs grew rougher as he got to her knees, almost desperate as he pushed her jeans down to her ankles. Kovit swallowed hard and pulled back slightly, then held one leg gently as he pulled the rough material over and off Nita’s foot. He kissed her knee and thigh gently, making Nita shudder with delight as he ran both his hands up her calf and around her thigh, as he set that foot back down on the floor, and let her get her balance on it, before taking her other leg into his hands. Nita felt like he was worshiping every inch of her, and her heart felt so full, it felt like it was going to explode. She gripped the shelf behind her tightly as she trembled, not trusting her legs to not give out under her, as Kovit finished pulling her jeans off. As he began to run his hands up that leg, Nita threw it over his shoulder, reveling in the feel of Kovit’s hot skin against hers.

Kovit kissed his way from her ankle up to her knee, and as Nita put her leg over his shoulder, he shuddered with arousal at their position. Nita was playing with fire and she knew it. Kovit looked up into her eyes again, seeing the conflicting desires there. And oh, how he wanted her, wanted her wriggling, and writhing, and screaming for him. He smirked, making Nita whimper and shift, and lifted a hand, reaching for her. Nita followed his hand with eager fascination, shifting repeatedly. She wasn’t thrusting her hips at him, not quite yet. Kovit chuckled.

“Such a naughty Bambi,” He whispered, and chuckled again as Nita whimpered in half delight, half disappointment as his hand stopped high up on her thigh, just below her panty line, and he began to drag a finger back down towards her knee. He placed his free hand on her other hip, to keep her steady. “We’re not upstairs yet, sweetheart. The chase isn’t done…” Nita was panting hard.

“I know, fuck,  _ cariño, _ I know, I just, oh God, Kovit, I want you so bad!” Nita whined, throwing her head back as Kovit switched to using his fingernails the second time he dragged his hand down her thigh. Kovit’s eyes shined as he watched Nita tremble and shake, and he wasn’t sure where her tremors ended and his started.

“Believe me sweetheart, I feel the same way. So I’ll give you a small countdown to decide where to go, and the next time the wolf catches you,” Kovit scratched firmly down the back of Nita’s leg, making her cry out in pleasure, “he’ll have his supper!” Kovit sat on his heels as Nita whimpered and panted, grinning wickedly up at her. “10...9...8…”

Nita saw the iron control it took Kovit to simply sit there and wait for her to decide, the bulge in his pants lending more credence to the desire burning in his voice. She let out an aching whimper as her leg slid off his shoulder, and barely remembered to grab her phone before she stumbled away on shaking legs. ~ _ Stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs! _ ~ Was the only thought running through her head as her legs steadied, and she made a straight beeline for the counter, or as straight of one as she could with the shelves in the way.

“4...3...2...1! Ready or not, here I come!” Kovit called out behind her, and Nita let out a panting giggle as her excitement ratcheted up another notch. Oh, she wanted Kovit to catch her, but at the same time, she wanted to tease him more, wanted to push that iron will of his until he was begging to have her. Nita wanted him to feel as desperate as she did. She turned a corner, and there was the counter. Nita pushed her muscles for an extra burst of speed, then skidded to a stop a few steps away as Kovit darted out from the shelves behind it. Nita panted and groaned in frustration as Kovit leaned on the counter, his eyes bright as they roamed over her form. He was grinning widely as Nita slowly approached the counter, being careful to stay  _ just  _ out of reach. “ _ Hello _ Bambi.” He panted, his chest heaving as he tried to either catch his breath, contain his excitement, or both. He was shifting from foot to foot, trying to be ready for whichever way Nita chose to run. Nita smiled.

“ _ Hello _ Flower.” She said sweetly. The light above them cast their shadows in arches all about, and Nita crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up a bit higher. Kovit swallowed hard as his eyes followed her movements, then they snapped back up to her face as her smile grew into a grin. He gave her a playful glare.

“You did that on purpose!” he snarled, and Nita giggled.

“Mmhm,” She nodded, and Kovit’s jaw dropped at the admission, making Nita giggle more. “Looks like we’re at a  _ stalemate _ , Flower.” Nita looked Kovit over, seeing him shifting still, and saw that he had both their shirts tucked into his jeans, while hers were gripped tightly in his hand. Kovit flashed her a brilliant smile, and he patted the countertop in front of him.

“You could always serve me my supper, Bambi…” Nita laughed.

“ _ Cariño! _ You want me to just  _ give up _ ? When the stairs are right  _ there _ ?” Kovit leaned forward again, predatorily. 

“Ah, but so am _I_ Bambi. I just wanted to give you a chance to accept defeat gracefully.” Nita’s laugh turned dark and taunting.

“Still underestimating me Flower?” She turned to the right, and Kovit’s eyes grew wide and needy, “I guess it’s back into the maze I go!” She feinted like she was going to run, and Kovit fell for it, taking off towards the shelves.

“No, no, no, Nita! Shit!” He yelled as he realized Nita had played him when she twirled around and ran around the other side of the counter, giggling as she headed for the stairwell. Kovit spun too quickly, over balancing and landing on his hands as he tried to right himself, but at least he didn’t fall all the way to the floor. As turned on as he was, that would have put an end to their fun that night. Kovit shot up and saw that Nita had made it to the door, turning the handle as he did his best to still catch up. Just as Nita was about to slip away, Kovit made it to the doorway, wedging his arm in the door and grabbing Nita’s wrist. Giggling like mad, Nita kept the door between them as they both panted harshly. “I caught you Bambi!” 

“Barely! And I made it to the stairs! 

“Nita!”

“Kovit…”

“Why are you teasing me?!” Kovit knocked his head against the door, trying to control himself as Nita giggled, and he could hear a rustling sound on the other side of the door.

“Because you said you could wait, this morning. So I’m testing that theory. Go turn off the lights for the back half of the shop, Flower, and then you can claim your prize.” Kovit pressed his flushed face to the cool wood of the door and groaned.

“You’re just gonna run upstairs.” he muttered, making Nita laugh. She peeked around the edge of the door.

“No I’m not,  _ cariño. _ It will be worth it, I promise. Go turn off the lights.” Nita blew him a kiss, then bit her lip and giggled again as Kovit pretended to snatch it from the air with his teeth. He let Nita go, and stalked over to the light switch, adjusting his pants as he did so. He had been turned on for long enough that he was getting sore, and his balls felt heavy. As he reached the switch, there was a creak from the wall. Kovit gave it a pouty glare.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to run upstairs, Nita!” He called as he hit the switch a little harder than he needed too, and turned around. There was light still spilling from the open doorway, and...was there something...hanging? From the door handle? Kovit’s heart started pounding again as he heard Nita giggle more.

“I’m  _ not  _ running Kovit. But we  _ were  _ told, no naughtiness in the _stairwell_.” Nita’s voice was like a siren’s song, drawing Kovit forward to the door again. As he got closer, the outline of what was hanging from the handle grew clearer in the light, and Kovit felt his throat go dry, and his pants grow tighter again. “So I’m taking my sweet time, and walking  _ slowly _ up the stairs, waiting for my big... _ bad _ ...wolf to come find his sweet,  _ innocent _ , little Bambi…” 

Kovit reached a trembling hand out and lifted Nita's bra off from where it hung on the door handle. It was still warm. Kovit swallowed hard, and pushed the door open gently, stepping into the light, before turning to face the door as he closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, raise your hand if you think Kovit is going to explode. *Looks around* Anyone? How 'bout Nita?  
> Raise your hand if you think I'm evil? *Ducks behind desk, waits a few minutes, and peeks out nervously*
> 
> I feel evil, but I like it. I hope you do too. Be the evil you hope to see in the world. Paint things funky colors. Give allergy-free candy to children you don't have to watch, or better yet, loud toys. Raise an army of fowl, whichever kind you prefer, doesn't really matter if it's geese or ducks or crows or pigeons, to follow you around and attack those who displease you by pooping on their car. Or on them, hell, they're your fowl, you order them around.
> 
> But most importantly, good self-care for the innately evil is reading/writing fanfiction that makes you happy! Fanfiction that speaks to the deepest, darkest, most broken parts of your soul and says, it will be ok, because your favorite characters are being slowly tortured out of their minds by delayed puberty brain. Because we all know why we're really here. FLUFF AND SMUT FOREVER!!!
> 
> But really, I hope you like it. More to come as my migraines let me write. Take care of yourself, and let me know what you think. Blessed Be everyone!


	16. Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kovit learns he's not the only one with naughty, naughty thoughts. Maybe Nita isn't such a fawn afterall....?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, life sucker punched me. Migraines, cars breaking down, taxes, work. Adulting sucks ass. But here is a big chapter to make up for the wait, and to show you I still love you! Hopefully, it's worth the wait. Let me know, cause after the last week and a half I've had, I could really use a boost.

When Kovit closed the door and opened his eyes, it felt like time stopped. And his heart, except he could feel his pulse pounding thickly, in his throat, in his wrists, in his groin. There was a high pitched whine, and for a moment, Kovit couldn’t tell where it was coming from, until he realized it was coming from him. ~ _ I haven’t made a noise like that since my voice broke... _ ~ The thought flitted across his mind and was gone before he could really catch it, as all Kovit could do was drink in the sight of Nita in front of him. He had thought to prepare himself for the sight of her panty-clad rear bouncing in front of him as they walked upstairs, to continue teasing him until they got to the landing. But of course Nita wouldn’t be that merciful. ~ _ Why do I constantly underestimate this woman? She could rule the world… _ ~

Nita was just less than a quarter of the way up the stairs, still in her panties; however, she was walking up them backwards, so she was facing towards Kovit when he opened his eyes. Nita had one hand firmly gripping the rail on her left, and the other hand was sliding up the wall on her right, to help her keep her balance on the narrow stair, which meant she was hiding nothing from Kovit’s view. She was panting still, even though her movements were slow and steady, and her chest and hips swung side to side as she crept up another couple of steps. Her eyes were filled with mischief and desire, and her voice filled with laughter as she saw Kovit standing at the bottom of the stairs, frozen except for the high pitched whine.

“There’s my Flower. I  _ missed you… _ ” Nita teased, feeling her blush spread under Kovit’s wide eyed gaze. Nita was trying  _ soo  _ hard not to laugh, he looked so adorable with his mouth hanging slightly open and his face so soft and vulnerable. She felt so good, being able to catch him completely off guard like this. ~ _ Bet he thought he was gonna watch my butt jiggle. _ ~ She thought with a smirk that she forced into an easy teasing smile, watching as Kovit dropped her jeans and bra. “Well Flower, did  _ you  _ miss me?”

“Buwa...gah...hah...ah…” Kovit sputtered incomprehensibly, and took a stumbling step forward, onto the first step. He grabbed the rail in desperation as he almost fell, his eyes glued to Nita as she gave a soft laugh while she continued to slowly walk upstairs backwards, swaying her hips as much as her balance allowed without falling.

“I’ll take that to mean yes.” Nita said softly, and Kovit nodded his head eagerly as he picked up his pace. “Now remember Flower, you can’t pounce me while we’re on the stairs.” 

Kovit let out another whimpering whine and paused, his eyes locking with Nita’s, and she shook her head slowly, still smiling. He took a deep shuddering breath, which made Nita wiggle with excitement, and it came whooshing out in a groan as he watched her jiggle. Nita giggled again.

“Now, now Flower. You know the rules. So you’ll have to stalk me all the way up to your den before you can pounce me. And since you didn’t want me running up the stairs…. _ well _ , I thought this would be a more fun way to be stalked. I get to watch  _ you  _ watching  _ me… _ ” They were just past the midpoint of the stairs, and Kovit glared at Nita.

“You are an  _ evil  _ woman, sweetheart. Pure evil.” Kovit panted harshly. It felt like he had a metal band squeezing his ribs. “I thought  _ I  _ tortured people, but  _ this _ , this blows everything I’ve ever done out of the water.” 

“Why thank you  _ cariño. _ ” Nita said with wicked glee, and Kovit chuckled darkly, lust and need filling his eyes and voice.

“Oh, you’ll be thanking me alright Nita. Once I get my claws in you, I’ll make sure you’ll be screaming for me the rest of the night.” Nita let out a needy moan, and picked up her pace, Kovit matching it without thinking.

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep, Kovit.” Nita said breathlessly, her belly clenching as she tried not to stumble or drop her phone. Kovit watched hungrily as her muscles tensed and rippled, licking his lips as he shuddered.

“What makes you think I won’t keep my promise, Bambi?” Kovit growled as he trembled, and he moved faster, regardless of Nita matching his speed again. He felt himself growing desperate, the need to touch and taste her taking on an almost violent edge that sent a trill of fear through him. Nita had reached the top landing, stumbling back until her back hit the door, and Kovit mistook her quivering pleasure for fear. Guilt slashed through him, and he paused, inches away from her when he realized she must have seen what he was feeling. “Nita...I...” Nita grabbed him and pulled him into a rough kiss, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to scratch at his back, making Kovit tremble again. He wrapped his arms around her gently, and Nita pressed against him, rubbing her body sensually over his skin.

“ _ Cariño _ , you promised!” Nita let out a desperate whine as she kissed and pressed herself against him, not understanding his hesitation. She had misjudged where the landing was and lost her balance, and the rush of feeling like she was falling as she stumbled back coupled with Kovit’s growling voice and hungry, lustful, looks had sent her over a small peak. But it wasn’t enough, she needed more. And Kovit was  _ barely  _ touching her! ~ _ Maybe he wants me to beg, to make up for teasing him? _ ~ Nita began to kiss and bite his neck and shoulders, continuously dragging her nails across his back as she tried to press as close to him as possible. “Touch me,  _ cariño, por favor!  _ _ ¡Por el amor de Dios!  _ Kovit, I need you to touch me,  _ please _ ! Make me cum again!” 

Kovit groaned and buried his face into Nita’s neck as her cries filled his ears, and let his hands fall to her hips, pulling her close to him as he emptied his mind. Nita wrapped a leg around his waist, trying to pull him closer, and Kovit pressed her against the door, much as he had the wall that morning. When she was balanced on his knee, Kovit slid his hand under her thigh, squeezing firmly, and Nita bucked her hips up into his, grinding into him and making him moan. “Please, Kovit!  _ Please _ !!” Guilt faded to confusion. ~ _ Would she be this eager if she was afraid? Nita promised to tell me if she needed me to stop… _ ~ Kovit grimaced, and made himself pull away from Nita’s neck to look into her face, and moved his hand down her thigh. 

“Nita…” Kovit tried again, but she let out a harsh cry, thrashing in his arms as frustration crossed her features.

“Damn it Kovit! You’ve caught me, now quit teasing me!” Nita screamed, and Kovit’s eyes went wide at the desperate, almost angry tone. “I can’t take it anymore! Make me cum for real, or else you aren’t allowed to anymore, understand me!?” Nita grabbed fistfulls of Kovit’s hair, forcing him to look her in the eyes, and he squeaked in alarm when he saw the raging need in them. 

“Oh God yes, I’m sorry!” he replied, quickly shifting his hand up the back of her thigh again to her core, and pushing the edge of her panties to the side, he plunged his fingers into her roughly. Nita’s back arched as she screamed with delight, and Kovit quickly latched his teeth and lips around one of the nipples she presented to him. All the while, his brain taunted him. ~ _ You’re an idiot, you're an idiot, Nita’s not afraid of you. You know that! SHUT UP BRAIN! I’M BUSY! Yeah, and you almost fucked that up, didn’t you? SHUT UP!! _ ~ Kovit shuddered with relief and pleasure as Nita bucked against him, scratching his shoulders with one hand as the other stayed in his hair, keeping him firmly against her chest. 

“ _ Más, más, cariño _ ! Kovit! Oh God, I’m so close! Please, more!” Kovit switched his attention to her other breast, and he slipped a third finger into her trembling, clenching body. He felt Nita lock up around him like a vice as she shuddered and wailed, and he did his best to give her as much sensation as possible, wiggling his fingers as much as her body allowed, and thrusting up at her, grinding his hips into hers. Kovit let out a whimpering groan of pleasure as Nita added even more scratches to his abused back, his mind hazy with endorphins as he lavished attention on her neglected breast. He didn’t even realize that he was matching the pace of her panting cries with his thrusts until Nita slumped onto him, whimpering and twitching.

Nita’s strength was gone as she lay in Kovit’s arms, trying and failing to catch her breath. As she panted, she dropped kisses onto his shoulder and neck, and smiled weakly as she felt him shudder against her. Bliss sang through her as Kovit held her close, nuzzling her hair and whispering her name over and over. Nita raised her head and kissed him sweetly, smiling softly at him when they parted, her eyes sleepy, her face and voice full of satisfaction.

“That extra bit of teasing at the end was  _ mean _ ,  _ cariño _ ! But I guess I deserved it after teasing  _ you  _ so much…” Nita giggled, and almost missed the guilty, sheepish look that flashed across Kovit’s face. Almost. She paused and peered at him, and Kovit glanced away, blushing and biting his lip. “Kovit...what is it?” Nita felt Kovit take a deep breath, and he still wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“I didn’t mean to tease Nita, I’m sorry for frustrating you. I was trying to check in, make sure you were ok. I thought…” Kovit trailed off, and Nita frowned.

“You thought what,  _ cariño _ ?” 

“I thought I scared you…” Kovit glanced at her, and saw that Nita’s eyes were wide.

“WHAT?! What in the world made you think I was scared?!” Nita burst out, and Kovit cringed.

“You were up against the door, trembling hard like you wanted to run away for real..” Kovit started to babble, and Nita started to laugh again.

“Kovit! I came!” Kovit stared at her in shock, and Nita nodded at his dumbfounded expression. “Yeah, it can happen without us girls having to be touched too. Lucky Us, I know. I misjudged where the landing was and tripped,  _ cariño _ , and the shock made me peak a bit, since I was so worked up. I was trying not to fall on my ass!” Nita couldn’t stop the laughter coming from her. Kovit’s face was so full of brain broken wonder and astonishment, it was freaking adorable. She wanted to take a picture and frame it, keep it forever. “Why would you think I would be afraid of you?” 

“I felt so desperate Nita…” Kovit said softly, his face filling with guilt again, and Nita felt his arms tighten around her. “I don’t want to hurt you, we set boundaries last night, but I already felt like I wanted to throw them away, that I was losing control and becoming violent…” Nita’s laughter died away, and she was looking at him with worry, and.. was that.. Hurt? Kovit felt his heart stutter

“Kovit, you are  _ not  _ going to hurt me…”

“It felt like I was going to ravage you Nita! Like I was…”

“Put me down,  _ cariño _ .” Nita’s voice was firm, and Kovit clung to her, on the verge of tears as he heard the anger in it.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry! I said I didn’t want to hurt you, I didn’t want to scare you! Please, I’m sorry!” Kovit felt Nita pull his head back by his hair, making him look at her again. There was hurt and anger in her eyes as she stared at him, and he felt himself tremble as tears slid down his cheeks. 

“Kovit, I am going to say this one more time, and  _ ONLY  _ one more time, so you better listen to me.” Nita's voice was a hiss, and Kovit felt himself on the edge of danger, all his senses on high alert as he stared into her eyes which had tears lining them. “You did  _ not  _ hurt me. You did  _ not  _ scare me. And I am  _ not  _ upset about what you think I am, so just STOP panicking! We will talk about this,  _ inside  _ the apartment, so PUT ME DOWN!” Kovit pulled back reluctantly, and let Nita get her balance before stepping back completely. He was only slightly comforted by the fact that she took his hand in hers, and pulled him into the apartment behind her. Nita dropped his hand and pointed to the bed as she walked to the fridge, opening it. Kovit walked over and dropped down heavily, sitting on the edge of the bed as he watched Nita with hooded eyes, doing his best not to fidget as she pulled out two water bottles. She threw one at him, fairly hard, and the plastic stung his palm when he caught it. He shook his hand as he watched Nita open her bottle, and she chugged a third of it down quickly, her chest heaving as she tried not to cry.

“Ow..” Kovit muttered, and sat the bottle on the floor next to his foot before looking up at Nita again. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you!” Nita glared at him, and Kovit flinched back.

“How else am I supposed to feel when you keep holding yourself back from wanting me Kovit?” Nita asked, and Kovit buried his face in his hands, a groan escaping him.

“This was more than just wanting you! The things I was thinking of doing Nita! I’ve never wanted to do those kinds of things before, I’ve sworn  _ never  _ to do those things!” 

“I swear to God,  _ cariño _ , you really are an idiot!” Nita’s temper broke and she slammed her bottle on the table next to her, making Kovit jump and look up at her as she glared at him. “Being rough with your  _ consenting  _ girlfriend isn’t rape, for fucks sake!” Everything in him went completely still, hyper focused on Nita as she yelled at him, fear and love and arousal fighting for dominance.

“But, I felt like...I was going to go too far...and despite what we said last night....” Kovit stuttered, his mind reeling, and Nita’s glare intensified. 

“You wanted to throw me down, spread my legs, and saw me in half with your cock? Hmm? That about right?” Kovit felt the air rush out of his lungs like a punch to the gut at Nita’s visceral description, and despite the sarcasm she used, he saw the blush that spread from her face to her chest and the way her legs clenched together. He felt his jaw drop at the sight of her fidgeting, and he nodded weakly as the images her words conjured up flooded his brain. His eyes snapped up to hers and his jaw dropped down more at her next words though. “Well, I’d be a damn hypocrite for getting mad or scared over that then, Kovit! Did the thought that I was  _ trying  _ to make you feel that way ever once cross your mind?” 

“Wha…?” It felt like his mind was short circuiting. ~ _ No..Surely she doesn’t mean… _ ~

“I wanted to turn you on Kovit. That’s why I played along with the game of hide and seek.” Kovit whimpered as Nita left her water on the table and started to walk towards the bed. Towards him. “I wanted to make you want me, wanted to make you desperate for me Kovit. That’s why I started stripping.” ~ _ Oh God, she DOES! _ ~

The anger was gone from Nita’s voice as she made her way slowly over to the bed, and the hurt was fading as she saw him listening with rapt fascination as she spoke. She couldn’t help that her temper had gotten the best of her, even if Kovit didn’t understand exactly how he had insulted her. Nita wasn’t his  _ victim _ , no matter their jokes about her being his prey! She was his equal, just as he was hers. They protected each other from the threats of the outside world, underground and normal alike, and helped each other through their weak times emotionally. They each cringed at some aspect of the other, were still learning to lean into the other’s darkness, but they were accepting of it regardless. Accepting of the reality of each other. And Kovit thought she would run from this part of him?

“I want to be with  _ you _ ,  _ cariño _ .” Nita reached him, and lifted Kovit’s face with gentle hands so she could look him in the eyes. She could see the tears that were still there, and feel the ones still in hers. “I want to be with the  _ real  _ you, Kovit, not some fantasy. I’m not one of those  _ puntas  _ that come into the shop, I promise. I know who you are, and I’m not afraid of it. I  _ want  _ it, so very very badly!” Nita slid into Kovit’s lap, straddling his hips as she pressed into him. Kovit shuddered as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a kiss.

“Oh God, Nita! I want you too!” Kovit gasped as Nita began to rock her hips into him, and he clutched her waist tightly as fire raced through his veins. He whimpered as she licked and nibbled on his neck.

“You had me so needy last night Kovit, and again this morning. With hardly any effort, you had me undone, losing my mind, and you were barely affected!” Nita’s voice was breathless in Kovit’s ear, hot and airy, and the aching need so evident that he felt himself twitch as he rocked back into Nita, making her moan. 

“Bambi, I was hard for hours afterwards! How could you think I wasn’t affected?!” He growled, nipping at her ear as he grabbed her ass and ground himself into her core hard. Nita threw her head back with a sharp cry as pleasure rippled through her, and Kovit leaned forward to kiss her throat. She dug her nails into his shoulders as she sucked in a sobbing breath.

“Because you were able to walk away so calmly,  _ cariño _ !” Nita shifted from side to side, grinding into him, and Kovit’s face twisted with pleasure as his breath hissed out, his dark eyes full of need as his grip on her stayed tight. Nita kissed him briefly again, then pulled back despite his whimper. “You walked away and left me to think about  _ all  _ the ways I wanted to please you for the rest of the day. And my mind just would... _ not _ ...stop...” Kovit pulled her into a deep kiss, and Nita moaned breathlessly as he ran his hands up her back, her eyes rolling back as one cradled her neck and the other went to her chest, squeezing gently.

“Fuck Nita, you don’t have to  _ do  _ anything, just let me love you. God you feel so good sweetheart, taste so sweet!” Kovit pressed his forehead to Nita’s as he panted, pecking her lips with soft, quick kisses between breaths as they rocked back and forth. Nita let out a breathy giggle.

“Kovit, it’s not just about  _ you  _ doing things to  _ me  _ though. And it’s NOT just about  _ you  _ getting rough either.” Kovit pulled back slightly, his eyes wide as his pulse raced. Nita had a sly, devious look in her eyes as she scratched from his shoulders down to his chest, and he couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran through him, as his eyes closed and he whimpered again.

“God damn, Bambi. Just how in the hell are  _ you  _ expecting to be rough with  _ me _ ? Other than by sharpening your claws...” Kovit chuckled, until he heard Nita growl playfully in his ear and she grabbed his wrists. She wretched his hands away from her body, and Kovit peeked at her through barely opened eyes, hoping he didn’t make her angry again. Nita was smirking darkly at him, so he opened his eyes fully, wondering what she was doing. “Ummm...Nita…”

“Underestimating me again, hmm, Flower?” She whispered, and Nita leaned in as though to kiss Kovit, but only sucked his lower lip into her mouth. Nita gave his lip a sharp bite, and Kovit cried out, the sudden jolt of pain making him buck his hips into hers. Then she caressed his lip with her tongue before she let it go, and smiled evilly at him. Kovit was panting hard as he stared at Nita in shock, trembling like a leaf. Nita brought his hands up to his shoulders, her eyes never leaving his. “Underestimating me? Or maybe you’re challenging me, hmm?”

“Nita…” Her name was the only thing Kovit was able to say before she shoved him back onto the bed, hard enough that the air was forced from his lungs. Kovit gasped as Nita began to crawl up his body, his muscles twitching like crazy under his skin as her soft breasts were dragged against him. ~ _ Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh Fuck, Oh God _ ~ Kovit could  _ feel  _ the veins in his throat pulsing with how hard his heart was beating as he watched Nita coming closer to him, as she grabbed his wrists again. It was like her eyes were on fire again, her pupils so wide he almost couldn’t see the amber of her irises.

“Is that what you need,  _ cariño _ , to show you that I’m not afraid? Do you need me to show you I can  _ match  _ your violence?” Nita's voice was hypnotizing him again as she licked and kissed her way up his chest, pushed his hands over his head and held them there. Kovit strained to kiss her as she leaned over him, but she avoided him, and he growled in frustration. She had lifted her butt and stopped grinding on him, and he wanted more contact, needed more. He tried begging with his eyes, but she only smiled, and tilted her head, a husky giggle leaving her as he tried thrusting his hips up but couldn't reach her. “Did you want to hear about the recurring fantasy, darling?” Nita asked saucily, and Kovit growled again.

“Fuck yes! Nita, Please!!” He begged, making Nita laugh softly at his desperate tone, and she leaned down just far enough to run her tongue teasingly over his lips. Kovit flexed hard, trying to break out of the hold she had on his arms so he could pull her to him, but wasn’t able to, and had to settle for the teasing taste before Nita pulled back again.

“Our position should give you a clue,  _ cariño _ .” Nita started, and she leaned back far enough to begin grinding into his lap again, which made Kovit gasp in relief. “I start by dragging you upstairs, and tying you to the bed. Partly to make sure you don’t pull another stunt like this morning…” She pressed down hard, and rocked back and forth, and Kovit thrust up, moaning loudly. “And partly as punishment. If you’re tied up, you can’t touch me, and you’re at my mercy!” Nita leaned forward again, lifting her weight and the pressure off of Kovit again, receiving a high pitched whine in response. Kovit’s eyes were rolling back as he thrashed and thrust at her, and he was snorting like a bull.

“Nita, Nita, fuck, please,  _ please _ , come back. Please, let me touch you! Bambi, PLEASE!” Nita kissed his neck, biting his jaw gently, and got another high pitched whine as she lowered her voice and whispered in his ear. She pressed her chest against his as she adjusted her grip on his arms, making sure she was holding him down tightly.

“But Flower, I’m not done yet. Because the plan would be, once I have you good and riled up, I would leave you tied up Kovit.” Nita sat up, and ground herself into Kovit’s lap hard, causing him to yell and stare at her flushed, hungry face. “I would keep you tied up,  _ cariño _ , and then I would climb on top, and  _ fuck  _ you until neither one of us could cum any more!” Kovit thrust upwards hard, and Nita’s grip on his arms slipped, lost as she was to pleasure and the fantasy she was spinning for them. When he felt her grip slacken, Kovit wiggled his arms free, and wrapped one around her waist to aid his thrusts. He slid the other between her legs, and like earlier, he pushed her panties out of the way so he could fill her with his fingers. And like before, Nita cried out with pleasure as he filled her, her nails raking more scratches down his chest.

“Oh, Nita, yes! Fuck me  _ hard _ !” Kovit groaned, just as lost in the fantasy as she was, and his free hand moved from her waist to her breast, squeezing and pinching, rougher than he had before. Nita whimpered eagerly, rocking herself onto his hand so hard, Kovit didn’t understand how it didn’t hurt her, since his wrist was already straining to keep up. But Nita was ecstatic, her head thrown back as she cried for more. "You're so beautiful, sweetheart! So beautiful!"

“Naugh! Kovit!!!” Nita screamed loudly, her body spasming as her orgasm hit her suddenly. Kovit kept the pace of his fingers fast and rough as she thrashed above him, wanting to extend her pleasure as long as possible. ~ _ Afterall, I promised… _ ~ He thought, thoroughly enjoying the sight of Nita losing her mind in ecstasy. ~ _ Oh God, whatever I’ve done to earn this, please, don’t let this end! _ ~ With a final shudder, Nita collapsed onto his chest, whimpering and moaning. When Kovit flexed his fingers again, Nita pushed weakly at his arm, gasping as her eyes rolled back. “Have mercy,  _ cariño _ !” Nita whispered, her voice hoarse from her screams. Kovit chuckled and pulled his hand away.

“I slipped my restraints,” he joked, licking his fingers and petting her back with his free hand as Nita lay on him, her eyes closed as she panted for breath, a wide smile on her face.

“That’s ok.” Nita replied, snuggling into his chest. “I couldn’t decide if I wanted the fantasy to end with you still tied up or not anyways, so this works. ‘Course, the next part of the fantasy was when you got your second wind, it would be  _ my  _ turn to be tied up,  _ sooo _ , either way, you’d be set loose…” Nita giggled as Kovit moaned and thrust up at her, and she dropped kisses all over his chest.

“For fucks sake,  _ Nita _ ! When did you get to be so damn naughty?!” Kovit asked, his tone desperate, and Nita opened her eyes to see him staring at her in wonder as he kept thrusting. Nita slowly sat up into his thrusts, making him whimper again, and smiled softly at him as she ran her hands over his chest gently.

“Around the time you started going shirtless,  _ cariño _ ,” Nita answered, making Kovit gasp, and Nita smiled wider. “I said it was a  _ recurring  _ fantasy. Last night and this morning just gave me more solid information to feed it. That and a few others…” Kovit groaned as her hands wandered over his skin, lingering on the various scars he had gotten over the years. Some were from learning how to fight with knives, some were from just getting into fights. Of course, there were the scars from where he was shot by her mother and by Boulder. None of that registered, except that they gave Nita a reason to linger in certain spots, and Kovit wanted more. His mind was a haze of pleasure as he gripped her hips, keeping her in place as he rolled into her, and it felt like he was sucking on super heated air, his lungs were so tight. Her hands finally made their way to the waistband of his jeans, and she undid the button, releasing some of the pressure he was under. Kovit gasped, and bucked up into her again. “Kovit,  _ mi amor _ , you promised I could make you feel good later...and I’ve waited all day....” Nita crooned, and Kovit groaned deeply as he felt her stroking him through his jeans.

“Oh  _ god  _ Nita, you  _ have  _ been making me feel good!” Kovit cried out, gritting his teeth as he fought to keep the waves of pleasure surging through him from overwhelming his senses. It felt like he was going to lose his damn mind. “Fuck, you’re too sexy, I feel like I’m going to cum already!” Nita whimpered at his words, and scrambled to pull his jeans down over his hips.

“Oh, please,  _ cariño _ , please. God, Kovit, I want to make you cum, just like you do for me!” 

“Sweetheart, wait, wait, please!” Nita pulled back with a whimper, trying to calm down as Kovit pulled himself further up onto the bed and pulled his jeans down his legs. When he saw her staring at him, he gave her a shaky smile. “I don’t want to throw you off the bed by accident, Bambi, that’s all. Come here.” Nita shook her head and stood up, pulling his jeans the rest of the way off of him before crawling back onto the bed, straddling one of his legs. Kovit sat leaning back on his elbows as Nita sat on his thigh and reached shaky hands towards his boxers, her face alight with curiosity and excitement. “Nita..” He whispered.

“I want to see you Kovit,” Nita said, her voice a needy whine, and Kovit swallowed hard, “I want to taste you…” 

“Fuck, sweetheart, you don’t have too…” Kovit whimpered, and he felt himself begin to tremble hard at the thought of her hot mouth on him. Nita gave a strained giggle.

“I know I don’t  _ have  _ to do a goddamn thing,  _ cariño _ . I said I want too…” Nita looked up into his eyes, and Kovit saw worry flash through hers. “Do you not want me too?” She asked. Kovit couldn’t help the burst of hysterical laughter that left him.

“I want it more than I want to  _ breathe _ , Nita! What I don’t want is for this to be  _ over _ , and I just  _ know _ , as soon as you touch me, I’m gonna blow, and it will be!” 

The worry left Nita’s eyes as they flicked back and forth between his, and she saw the sincerity in them. Then she gave him a coy smile before she kissed him gently, and pushed him back onto the bed. Kovit lay there panting, staring up at her in bewilderment as she leaned over him, and Nita felt herself fill with love and desire. She kissed his lips softly again, then trailed kisses down his chin and neck and chest. 

“You act like this is going to be the only time I’m going to do this,  _ mi amor _ …” Nita murmured against his skin as she trailed kisses down his stomach, enjoying the way his muscles twitch under her attention. She ran her hands from his shoulders down to his hips, dragging her nails lightly across his skin and listening with delight as Kovit tried his hardest to keep breathing at an even pace. When her hands were at his boxers again, she lifted herself up slightly, looking into his dazed face. “It won’t be. Like I said before, I’ll fuck you until you can’t cum anymore, and then you can rest for a bit. When you have your second wind, it’ll be my turn.” Kovit’s eyes went wide at her words, and Nita gently pulled his boxers down, baring him to her sight for the first time. Her breath rushed from her lungs in excitement at the sight of him. Nita knew Kovit was well proportioned from the way he felt the night before, but knowing and seeing were two completely different things. She felt herself grow wetter at the sight of him, his cock thick and firm, standing proudly away from his tan body and dark nest of hair. ~ _ No white there… _ ~ The thought made its way through her mind as Nita reached out and gently caressed him, causing Kovit to suck in a hissing breath. He was panting and moaning, lifting his hips in short thrusts as Nita watched in fascination, sweat soaking his skin as Kovit threw his head back and forth, thrashing under her touch.

She tightened her grip a bit, and her other hand reached out to fondle his balls, making Kovit cry out her name in delight, his eyes rolling back as the pace of his thrusts sped up. Nita felt herself get even more excited as she watched Kovit lose himself to pleasure, and she shifted back and forth over his thigh, giving herself friction. She was soon gasping for air when she saw that Kovit had started to leak precum onto her hand, making it easier to touch him, as well as lifting his leg slightly, pressing into her core to try to please her, even as lost as he was to his own pleasure. His musky scent filled her senses, his moaning cries filled her ears, and all Nita could think of was to taste him, to please him, to give him relief. In a pleasure driven haze, Nita leaned forward, shifting her grip, and gave his shaft a long, slow lick from bottom to tip, before sucking as much of him into her mouth as she could, swirling her tongue around to gather up and swallow the precum that she could reach as she continued to stroke him. Her actions and the taste made Nita reach a small peak, and she moaned, making Kovit thrust wildly into her mouth as one of his hands clamped around the one stroking him.

Kovit was in Heaven. That was the only explanation he could think of. He had died, and instead of being sent to Hell where he belonged, he had conned his way into Heaven somehow. That or he was dreaming. Which could very well be the case. While none of his dreams had been  _ quite  _ this vivid before, they had been straying into this territory far more often lately. Nita saying she loved him, Nita and him getting married, Nita naked. Those were fuzzy, soft dreams.  _ This _ , this was something else. It felt  _ so  _ good, too good to be a dream, having Nita touch him, the pleasure filling him up, threatening to spill over. So he had to have died. And if this was the afterlife fate had decided for him, he was ok with that. And then he felt Nita’s mouth on him, and that’s when the fire consumed him.

“FUCK YES! NITA!” Kovit screamed, pleasure racing through him to explode behind his eyes in bursts of white as he thrust into her hot, wet, mouth, feeling her moan vibrate through his length as her tongue danced around his tip. It was too much. He grabbed her hand, keeping her firmly wrapped around him as he thrust wildly at her, his other arm wrapping around her shoulders as he curled over her. “I’m cuming, NITA! Oh God, Nita, you’re making me CUM!!!”

Nita moaned again as another peak ripped through her at Kovit’s scream, hard and fast, making her suck on him without thinking. Suddenly, Kovit’s grip on her shoulders became tight, and Nita watched with amazement as his cock twitched and pulsed in her hand, before a sudden burst of cum erupted in her mouth. The heat and taste surprised her, and she quickly swallowed, trying to draw in air, but Kovit kept cumming, kept filling her mouth with each stroke so she couldn’t. By the third stroke, Nita was choking, and she pulled away, coughing, making Kovit cry out at the loss of her touch and pull her close to him, still thrusting into her hand. She felt more of his cum hit her cheek and her chin, and then she was pressed against his stomach, Kovit thrusting against her breasts and moaning her name over and over as she worked him through the end of his orgasm. Nita wrapped her free arm around his waist, holding Kovit tightly to her as she closed her eyes and buried her face against his stomach, trying to catch her breath as she repeatedly licked her lips. 

Kovit’s thrusts slowed down to tremors, and he curled over Nita as he panted out harsh, short whimpers. Nita rolled slightly to her side, looking up at him from the corner of her eye, to see Kovit wearing a look of utter bewilderment on his face, like he wasn’t sure what had happened. ~ _ I did that… _ ~ Nita thought, pride and arousal surging through her, and she squeezed her thighs together as she lay in his lap. She knew Kovit was going to need a break, but damn if he didn’t look sexy, as wrecked and destroyed as he seemed. Nita couldn’t help the small whimper that escaped her throat as she watched Kovit regain his senses.

~ _ Holy SHIT! _ ~ Kovit’s body was thrumming with pleasure as his orgasm faded, his sight still covered in spots of rainbow tinted white. He whimpered as he panted, there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. ~ _ Oh God, did that just happen? Did Nita really just… _ ~ Kovit heard her small whimper and felt her shift, and looked down to see her squished up against him.

“Fuck, sweetheart, are you ok? Did I hurt you?” Kovit leaned back, giving Nita room, but she followed him, staying close to him. Kovit saw that her eyes were shining as she slowly shook her head. 

“That was  _ soo  _ hot,  _ cariño _ …” Nita crooned, and Kovit let out a shuddering breath at the desire soaked in her voice. He started to stroke her cheek, and paused when his fingers met wetness.

“Nita, are you crying?” He asked, and Nita shook her head again, smiling softly.

“No. I couldn’t keep up with you, and had to pull away before I choked  _ mi amor _ . So we made a mess.” Kovit blinked at her, not understanding, and Nita just smiled at him.

“A...mess….” Nita nodded, and sat up. Kovit’s eyes went wide as he stared at her.

“Mmhm. You were still cumming  _ cariño _ . So you made a mess all over your sweet Bambi.” Nita’s smile turned coy as Kovit’s arms gave out under him and he collapsed back onto the bed, his breath wheezing in and out as he watched her trail her fingers through the sticky mess covering her chest and breasts. She brought her fingers to her lips and licked them clean, and Kovit whimpered as his cock twitched at the sight. Nita giggled huskily. “It’s a good thing we’re waiting to go all the way, Kovit. I’m not sure a condom could hold all of this, and if this is typical for you, you’d have me pregnant in no time, regardless of how careful we try to be.” Kovit groaned as he felt himself twitch again at the thought, rubbing his hands over his face and into his hair.

“God Damn It Nita! You have no right being this fucking sexy! I’m going to have a fucking stroke!” Nita’s eyes flew open wide and her mouth dropped open, and Kovit let out a strained laugh. “It’s like my body is at war with itself. There’s the side begging for rest, and the side begging me to keep going and to devour you. And if we keep going, we’re either gonna wake the dead, or join them!” Nita laughed, and Kovit grinned, relaxing back against the bed, his dark eyes raking across her body. 

“Well, we can rest first, and then you can devour me. Best of both worlds. I’m not gonna run away Kovit.” Nita said, and looked around for something to clean up with. There wasn’t a towel handy, and the closest soft items were their shirts which had fallen out of Kovit’s jeans when he had moved up in the bed. She grabbed them, and handed Kovit’s to him, making him snort in amusement. “We have to do laundry tomorrow anyways…” Nita muttered, and Kovit grinned at her.

“That’s not it, doesn’t matter.” Kovit wiped himself down before reaching for his boxers, and Nita shifted so he could pull them back up as she wiped off her cheek and her chin. Kovit rubbed her thigh gently as he lay back onto the pillows, and watched her with soft, loving eyes. “I am sorry for upsetting you earlier Nita. I really am. And even with the risk of making you mad again, I have to ask. What was it that I did that made you so mad? If you’re not afraid of me or any possibility of me hurting you, what did I do?” Kovit’s face was full of confusion, so open and lost that Nita felt herself melt a little bit as she wiped at her throat and chest.

“Kovit, it felt like you were lumping me in with those women that come into the store, hoping for a chance to flirt with you, even though they’re afraid of you. The ones that say they want a dangerous bad boy but in reality don’t actually want that, they just want to play pretend.” Nita could see that Kovit was still confused, and sighed heavily. “How else can I explain this…” Nita muttered, and went quiet, her hands slow as she cleaned herself and thought.

Once she finished cleaning her chest, Nita tossed the shirt towards the hamper, and laid down next to Kovit, snuggling into his side. He wrapped his arms around her, staying quiet as he watched her face and stroked her side gently, giving her time to order her thoughts. Nita’s eyes were distant, and somewhat sad, and Kovit felt his heart pinching. He didn’t want to make her sad, but there was tension again, tension he felt would be bad to break, even with an apology. Finally Nita sighed and her eyes focused on him, and she gave him a small smile when she realized Kovit was staring at her, worried. She kissed him gently before laying her head down on her pillow and speaking slowly, her opening statement completely throwing Kovit for a loop.

“Kovit, if I was in the shop, by myself, say you were out somewhere for whatever reason, doesn’t matter, and some random thug tried to rob me, tried to hurt me, and you walked in to see it happening, what would you do?” Kovit felt his heart stop for a moment, then start to race at the thought, as anger and hurt bloomed through him. He could picture it so clearly, seeing Nita tied up in the chair, Gold pointing the gun at her, Henry sitting on...Henry… Kovit sat up, leaning over Nita, cupping her face in his hand.

“I will never let that happen to you again Nita, I swear it!” He said harshly, and Nita’s eyes went wide, realizing what he was thinking. “I love you, and I will kill anyone who ever tries to hurt you…”

“Kovit!” Nita said firmly, placing her hands on his face, and looking him square in the eyes. “I wasn’t even thinking about Henry, I’m sorry. I am sorry.” Kovit took a deep breath, seeing the sincerity in Nita’s eyes, and the anger faded. He still hurt at the thought of anyone hurting her.

“I’d still kill anyone who would hurt you Bambi…” he muttered, shifting so he was laying down on his side next to her again, and Nita smiled softly at him, stroking his cheek.

“Yes. And how many guys would tell their girlfriends the exact same thing Kovit?” Nita asked gently, and Kovit paused his petting, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“Any guy worth dating Nita! What kind of asshole wouldn’t want to protect the woman he claims to love?” Kovit’s tone was indignant, and Nita gave a sigh that was tinged with a giggle, while Kovit stared at her.

“That’s not the point I was trying to make,  _ cariño. _ ” Nita whined, and Kovit continued to just stare, which made Nita sigh again. “Any guy worth dating,  _ every  _ guy, would  _ say  _ that they would kill to protect their woman.” Nita looked at Kovit with raised eyebrows, and Kovit nodded. “How many are  _ actually  _ capable of following through though, Kovit?” Kovit gaped at Nita, words failing him as hers sunk into his brain. Nita smiled fondly at him as she saw she was starting to get through. Kovit cleared his throat slowly.

“Well, I mean...guys get into fights and protect their girlfriends that way right?” Nita nodded slowly.

“They do. I’m not saying people don’t mean it when they say they want to protect the people they care about Kovit. I’m not belittling the  _ sentiment _ ,  _ cariño _ . But crossing the line and actually ending another life?” Nita shook her head, and Kovit blinked. “Some people can let anger fuel them in the moment, for others it's a cold calculation, like when I shot Reyes. But there’s still the aftermath to deal with. The emotional, mental,  _ and  _ physical aftermath. How many people can handle dealing with dead bodies? Regardless of if they went to the police or to the underground world. How many could look at their partner the same way after something like that?”

“And this has to do with you being mad at those women...how?” Kovit asked tentatively, still worried that Nita would have another outburst, but she just giggled. ~ _ Wow….Mood swings… _ .~ Kovit wisely kept the thought to himself. Nita sat up, and leaned over to kiss him gently. 

“Because none of those women could deal with a truly violent man. What they really want is a guy who says he would kill for them, to make them feel safe, but couldn’t actually do it. Could fight for them, come close to the edge, the line, but not cross over it. None of them saw  _ you  _ Kovit. You are a violent man, and none of them, not a single one, understands what that  _ actually  _ means. That being with you means actual,  _ real  _ dead bodies at times, not just threats of them ! They only see a fantasy, which is just as insulting as someone thinking ‘Oh I’ll use my pet zannie to torture this person for info, and then send them back into a hole when I get what I want, regardless of what the zannie wants or needs’. Only in their case it’s, ‘Oh I’m hot, maybe I can get the tame zannie to drop his drawers and fuck me, and then he will see he doesn’t need pain afterall’!” Kovit gulped at the irritation that filled Nita’s voice and eyes again, and Nita took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment and willing herself to calm down. After a few minutes, Nita opened her eyes again, and glanced at Kovit. He was staring at the bed, tracing a finger in an outline just outside her fingers, as though he wanted to take her hand but was afraid too. When he felt her eyes on him, Kovit looked up from under his lashes, his expression sheepish and shy.

“I don’t want to make you madder,” he muttered, and Nita sighed again, taking his hand lightly in hers. Kovit smiled slightly, squeezing her hand and twining their fingers together, before bringing her hand up to his lips for a soft kiss.

“I’m not really mad at you,  _ cariño _ . Just the situation. You can’t help it that you’re hot.” Nita teased, making Kovit blush as he looked away, and Nita giggled. They were sitting in just their underwear, with Nita sans bra and still a little sticky from his cum, and Kovit was getting shy from a compliment. ~ _ Why is he so fucking adorable? _ ~ She thought, shaking her head. “It’s not like you’re flirting back or leading them on. My insecurities aren’t your fault Kovit. No, what makes me mad is when you fall into their thought process that you’re just one dimensional.” Kovit looked back at her, wide eyed.

“What?” He asked, his voice soft. Nita shifted closer, cupping her free hand under his chin.

“Kovit, it’s true that you are violent. But it’s not just because you’re a zannie. You grew up in the fucking mob, for God’s sake.” Kovit was about to interrupt, but Nita shook her head. “I know the reason why you did Kovit. Turning in your Mom left you on the streets, being a zannie was a good reason for them to recruit you, whatever. That doesn’t really matter. Plenty of people end up in gangs and in mobs without being zannies, end up becoming violent killers all on their own, right?” Kovit nodded.

“Yes, obviously.” Nita ran her hand down to Kovit’s chest, her eyes sad as she traced the scar over his heart.

“So it doesn’t matter really how you ended up in the mob. The fact is, you did, and you grew up living a violent life, and you had to become violent to survive. You had to be violent to survive anyways, being a zannie, so you took what at the time was the next logical, most survivable step. You can’t just turn that off Kovit, and I know this.” Kovit swallowed hard.

“But it  _ scares  _ you Nita.” Nita met his gaze without flinching, and continued to smile softly.

“But not because I’m afraid that you will hurt  _ me  _ Kovit. And I’m not talking about your rules keeping you from hurting me either  _ cariño _ . You love me, and I love you. All of you. Your violence and your tenderness, your sweetness and your meanness. You made your rules so that your need for pain wouldn’t destroy the good in you. That good and bad is in everyone, me included. I told you before that I can’t pick and choose what parts I like and make a new person for myself. And I don’t want to anyways, because then you wouldn’t be you! Those women would, because they’re afraid of what you really are, which is a violent man, regardless of you being a zannie. I’m not afraid of your  _ violence  _ Kovit. I’m afraid of the way you become detached from reality, the way the people you have hurt aren’t real to you. It’s forced me to rethink and evaluate how I’ve treated the people I’ve dissected, made me grow up and face myself. Not the most comfortable thing to do, but,” Nita shrugged and rolled her eyes, making Kovit chuckle. “That’s what relationships are supposed to do, right? Help you grow as a person?” Kovit bobbed his head, thinking as he held her hand in both of his, and he leaned his face into her other one.

“I guess so. I just never thought I’d have anyone to worry about me, I suppose, not like this. All my life it was praise for the work I did, and frustration when my rules got in the way of doing what they wanted me to do. No one  _ else  _ was ever afraid of me losing me to my monster like I am.”

“You won’t lose yourself Kovit. The monster is a part of who you are, not  _ all _ of who you are. You aren’t tame, but you aren’t a beast either. And like I said, you won’t ever hurt me, not in the way you seem to be afraid of. I  _ want  _ to be with you, and  _ only  _ you, and if we ever get to the point where we’re ready to go all the way, the first time hurting physically for a bit isn’t going to scare me away or make me mad at you.” Kovit lifted a hand, caressing Nita’s cheek gently.

“What does scare you about it then, sweetheart? Because it feels like more than just nervousness coming from you.” Kovit trailed off when Nita looked away, blinking rapidly, and waited for her to speak.

“I’m afraid...once we start...that I’ll stop feeling this way…” Nita’s voice trembled, and tears slipped from her eyes as she closed them. Kovit pulled in a shaky breath as she began to cry softly, and drew Nita to his chest.

“It’s alright sweetheart..” He murmured, and Nita shook her head, clinging to him.

“No, it’s not!” Nita cried out, hugging Kovit tightly. “I don’t ever want to stop feeling this way  _ cariño _ ! You make me happy, and free, and I don’t want to lose you or these feelings I have for you! I don’t want to be broken like Mom! I don’t want to break any children we might have! I want you so much, want you near me all the time, and I’m scared that those feelings will fade away. I don’t want you to feel like I’m using you Kovit! I know in my head that it’s stupid to be afraid of that, but I can’t stop.” Kovit felt tears sting his eyes, and he pulled Nita close, rocking her back and forth as he let her cry.

“It will be ok sweetheart. You won’t lose me Bambi, I promise. It will be ok. I’m right here.” He whispered as he kissed her hair and rubbed her back, and as she started to calm down, Kovit huffed out a small laugh. “You realize, we’re both idiots right?” Nita sniffled and looked up at him, her eyes still watery. 

“And why is that?” She asked, her voice clogged. Kovit smirked at her.

“Because it’s literally been a day, and we’re already planning the kid’s college fund before we’ve even discussed a wedding one, that’s why.” Nita’s jaw dropped, making Kovit chuckle, and he kissed her nose, making Nita giggle.

“You’re horrible, Flower!” Nita muttered, snuggling into Kovit’s throat, and he hummed contently.

“Yup, I’m the best. So, how many are you wanting Bambi?” Nita groaned, and giggled as Kovit’s hands wandered down to her butt and squeezed.

“I don’t know.” She whined, and shifted, but Kovit’s hands stayed firmly on her ass. “Weren’t you just complaining about us doing things backwards?” Kovit shrugged, still grinning, and kissed the top of Nita’s head.

“Not really, not this time. It was just amusing. And besides, kids are one of those things people are supposed to talk about before getting married, right?” Nita nodded, blushing hotly “Well, they seem to be on your mind lately,  _ sooo _ ?” Nita groaned again, and hid for a moment before pulling back to face Kovit. His face had an easy smile, and while his eyes were full of mischief, there was softness and eagerness too, like he really wanted to know what she thought. So Nita sighed and gave him a playful glare.

“I honestly don’t know Kovit. I’ve never been around kids, not really. I was pulled from school when I was really young. But there were customers who were talking about their grandkids today, and it got me thinking, and then I started thinking about last night, which got me riled up, then you go and be all adorable with that little girl this morning…” Nita pouted at Kovit as his smile turned into a smirk, and ran her hand through his hair as he pulled her closer, squeezing her butt again.

“Then I take you to the stairwell, and do naughty, naughty things to my sweet, delicious Bambi…” He teased, and Nita giggled, swatting his chest playfully.

“So yes, I’ve thought about kids, and the idea is a happy one. But you know how I am Kovit, I’m full of worries…” Kovit cut her off with a kiss, making Nita gasp as he rolled her under him and settled his weight comfortably over her body. Nita moaned happily as the kiss lingered, soft and sweet as their tongues danced, and their hands began to roam over each other again. Kovit kneaded her breasts in his hand as Nita dragged her nails through his hair and across his shoulders, both of them gasping with pleasure as they pulled apart. Kovit trailed kisses down her jaw to her neck, nuzzling her as he went, and Nita sighed as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him close. When he got to her ear, Kovit nipped her lobe and licked it, making her shiver.

“We’ll work through our worries, sweetheart. I know patience isn’t your strongest point, but it has only been a day, afterall.” Nita let out a breathy laugh as Kovit nibbled on her ear again, and his chuckle sent shivers down her spine as his hands slid down to her waist as he rocked into her. Then he started to kiss down her neck and chest, making her moan and shift with need when he stopped to give each of her breasts a small amount of attention before moving onto her stomach. Kovit gave her belly button a soft bite, making Nita gasp and look at him, as he stared up at her with intense eyes. “In the meantime, I think it’s time the wolf had his dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo boy, is it hot in here, or is it just me? So yeah, I wrote that, and you read that, and we must all accept the fact that we are going to hell in gasoline undies. I'll save you all a seat at the high table. I have no idea why writing about doing sexy things is so much more difficult than actually...you know...doing them? Heat of the moment carrying us away maybe? Vivid imagination distracting us? Oh well. It is written, and now it is posted for the world to judge me. I know the verdict shall be Pervert, but I was already aware of that fact long, long time ago. Cards Against Humanity is my Jam, and I break so many people with it. 
> 
> More sexyness to come next chapter. Hopefully it will be out faster than this one. Then on to action and plot! Because that's what we're here for right? The plot? *Crickets chirp as Henry Cavail takes a hot bath* Yummy yummy plot...
> 
> Be good to yourself! Take a hot bath, with or without a Witcher depending on if you have the coin, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Blessed Be!


	17. Can You Really Scream ALL Night?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kovit made a promise to Nita, if you remember. He certainly hasn't forgotten. Let's see how he does fulfilling that promise, shall we?

Nita gasped at Kovit’s words, his hungry gaze sending fire racing through her. When she felt his hands slip into the waist of her underwear, Nita felt a thread of insecurity shoot through her, and she grabbed the edge of her panties, making Kovit pause and look up at her with a raised eyebrow. There was no anger or frustration in his eyes, just patient acceptance.

“I..I haven’t cleaned up Kovit...or done anything to get ready…” Nita’s voice trembled as much as she did, and understanding filled Kovit’s gaze as he smirked softly at her and smoothed a hand down her leg, making it twitch.

“I didn’t get a chance to either Bambi, and you still wanted me, right?” Nita gasped again as she nodded, and she whimpered as Kovit’s hand kept running up and down her leg soothingly. She burned with need, ached with desire, and Kovit was being so gentle she felt like she was going to shatter under his attention. It felt like he was caressing her very soul. “I won’t go any farther if you don’t want me too, sweetheart.” 

“Oh God,  _ cariño _ , I want you too, I need you too, I just, I… I…” Nita felt tears slip from her eyes and closed them, turning away, and Kovit slid his hand up her belly and over her hand that clutched at the blanket under her.

“Nita, look at me,” Kovit demanded, his voice taunt and needy. Nita sucked in a huge breath and opened her eyes, looking down. Another whimper escaped her at the fierce look of love and lust on his face, and Kovit squeezed her hand. “You are absolutely perfect just the way you are, and you will only ever be beautiful to me, do you understand?” Nita let out a sobbing breath, and let go of her underwear as she thrust her hips up.

“Oh please, Kovit, please!” She cried, biting down on her finger as she felt his hands on her waist again, and Nita threw her hand back as Kovit scrambled to sit back and obey. More tears leaked from her eyes as her mind grew hazy, her heart full of Kovit’s reassurances and love. ~ _ Oh God, I want to be his forever! _ ~

Kovit slipped his hands under Nita’s rear, gripping the edge of her panties and pulling them down as gently as he could. He worked the soaked fabric down her shifting legs, pulling them completely off of her and tossing them off into the room as his gaze was glued to Nita’s frantic, desperate thrashing, her whimpering cries filling his ears. He swallowed hard, trying to reign in his growing excitement. ~ _ This is what she meant. _ ~ He thought as he crawled up between her feet, and put gentle hands on her knees, and Nita gasped and called his name, making him swallow again. ~ _ This is what she was saying, when she said I made her feel desperate. FUCK! No wonder she was  _ pissed _ , thinking I was holding back! _ ~ Kovit panted, and dropped a gentle kiss onto Nita’s knee.

“Sweetheart, you need to breathe. I don’t want you to black out again…” Kovit petted her thigh, and Nita arched her back, seeking relief.

“What I NEED is you,  _ cariño _ ! FUCK! Kovit, touch me, PLEASE!!!” With her back arched, Nita’s legs parted, her knees falling open on their own to give Kovit his first unobstructed view as she cried for him, her hands fisted under her. Kovit sucked in a harsh breath, feeling like his brain stopped working. Before, in the stairwell, it felt like time had stopped. Now it felt like everything except the two of them had ceased to exist, and Kovit moaned as the sight of Nita laid out in front of him like a feast seared itself into his mind. ~ _ Is this real? Fuck, please, God, somebody, anybody, let this be real! Please don’t let me fuck this up! Please, please, please, please, please! _ ~ Kovit was gasping as hard as Nita was as he stared at her, drinking in the sight of her bare form, her dark curls wet from his previous attention and her continued arousal. Kovit’s eyes snapped up to Nita’s face as she whimpered loudly, her hips thrusting upward. ~ _ Ok, snap out of it. She’s gonna get pissed if you don’t start doing something soon dude. Just remember what you read. Start off slow and gentle, build up the pressure if it seems she likes what you are doing. Listen and respond to her cues, touch and lick  _ everywhere _ , and find the CLIT! I got this! _ ~

Kovit ran his hands down Nita’s legs again, kissing his way after them as he tried to slide his legs out from under him gracefully. Didn’t exactly work, but at least he didn’t end up falling onto Nita and hurting her, as he ended up on his elbows with his head nearer her butt then he intended. He heard Nita squeak and giggle, and he glanced up at her to see her watching him with excited and nervous eyes. Kovit grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows.

“Sorry, got excited for dinner, and my legs got tangled. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the wolf is hungry.” He gave Nita a playful glare as she giggled again, and gently bit her inner thigh before turning the bite into a sucking kiss, making Nita moan and thrust her hips up towards him again. Kovit shifted closer to where he wanted to be, trailing more gentle love bites downwards, and brushed his entire thumb over Nita’s slick folds, making her gasp and tremble. So he did it again. Everything he had read said that consistent, gentle build up was the key, and Kovit was nothing if not patient and methodical. He had done more than  _ just  _ sweep and mop the floor this morning.

The internet was a wonderful tool full of useful information when you shifted through the bullshit, and Kovit figured that if enough sites said basically the same thing he could take their advice at face value, for the most part, and see what could be useful for him. And he wasn’t exactly ready for the ribbing that the guys in the chat would give him, if he gave in and went to them for advice. Oh, he knew they would be  _ happy  _ for him. But the glee they would spill knowing that Kevin, The  _ Unbreachable  _ Tower, had finally fallen for the wiles of a woman? Kovit mentally shuddered at the thought. He would spare himself the commotion for a little bit longer. Besides, the feelings he had for Nita were too big, too bright to share with anyone else right now. It was hard enough being teased by Diana and Adair. 

Kovit glanced up, watching Nita shifting and panting with pleasure as he kept stroking her with his thumb in broad, long strokes, her eyes glazed and unfocused as she let herself get carried away with how he was making her feel. He pressed his thumb a little firmer, and Nita moaned loudly, pressing back into his hand, and Kovit grinned. He watched in aroused fascination as his thumb became soaked in Nita’s wetness, her folds spreading and closing around him with each pass. He moaned as he watched her reaction to his touch, whispering praise, kissing her thigh, and nuzzling her, his breath heavy and wet as he panted. Kovit barely registered that he was hard again, thrusting slowly into the bed as he touched Nita, keeping the pace steady and even. He added another finger, spreading Nita’s lips further, and Nita’s face twisted in pleasure as she threaded her hand into his hair, trying to urge him closer. Kovit held back, but breathed over her again, feeling himself twitch as he saw more juice leak from Nita’s core and heard her cry out for more.

~ _ Fuck, how does she do this too me? I’ve already cum so much in the last day, and I want to go again already? _ ~ Kovit pressed harder, and Nita’s hips left the bed, almost hitting his chin, making him chuckle. His mind was hazy with pleasure as he watched Nita writhe, his thoughts scattered. ~ _ Oh, I am definitely into women. One woman. Nita. Only Nita. Fuck, I need to taste her… _ ~ Kovit scooted forward the last little bit, and dipped his head down, dragging his tongue behind his thumb from the bottom of the slit all the way to the top. As he pulled away, Nita’s screams filling his ears, he kept Nita’s lips spread wide, and saw the little nub he had been searching for. ~ _ THERE YOU ARE! _ ~ he thought with pride. ~ _ FOUND YOU! _ ~ With the next pass of his tongue, he flicked it over her pearl gently, and Kovit felt Nita grab fistfuls of his hair as she bucked into his face, smashing his nose, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care that he could barely breathe, didn’t care that his neck was getting sore. All he wanted was to please her. And he must be doing something right if she was grinding up into his face, as she was screaming his name. The advice from the articles came back to his mind. ~ _ If you think your lady is close, and want to make her cum, DON’T change what you’re doing! You can try something new afterwards. _ ~ Kovit moaned as his tongue reached Nita’s clit again, thrusting at the bed at the thought that he might be making her feel  _ that  _ good. And then several things happened all at once, and Kovit wasn’t completely sure which order they happened in.

Nita gave the loudest scream of the night yet, but it suddenly cut off as her legs clamped tightly around his head, pulling Kovit’s face even closer into her body as she convulsed under him. Kovit felt more wetness spread across his chin as he kept his tongue pressed firmly against her clit, just barely wiggling it back and forth as he held onto her hips for dear life and continued to moan. Nothing else mattered as Kovit did his best to please Nita, riding her frantic movements for eternity and at the same time far too short a time, and then he was free. Nita was twitching and moaning as she lay on the bed, tears streaming from her rolled back eyes as a wide smile spread across her face. Kovit panted harshly, deep gulps of air as he watched her reeling in pleasure, while pride and lust clawed through him, screaming in his mind to do it again. 

Kovit scrambled up until he could reach the pillows and dragged one down, whimpering sharply as Nita instinctively tried to wrap her arms weakly around him and pull him close to her. She was babbling nonsense words, broken bits of Spanish and English that made no sense, and Kovit kissed his way up and down her body.

“Ssshh, it’s alright sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere. Just needed to grab something, that’s all. I’m right here. Sssh. It’s alright Bambi…” Kovit kissed and licked Nita’s stomach, watching her face as she started to regain focus. It was hard to push back his excitement, but he wanted her aware of what he was doing. “Nita, sweetheart, I need you to lift your hips for me, love.” Nita lifted her head weakly, her eyes blinking as she tried to focus on him, before she dropped back onto the pillow she was resting on.

“Hmm..?” She asked, but her body responded, her hips lifting up enough that Kovit was able to place the other pillow under her rear. Kovit groped her butt as he settled her back down, his other hand rubbing her leg soothingly. “Kovit?” Nita’s voice was raw, and Kovit grinned wickedly when he saw she was looking at him in amazement.

“I got you sweetheart. I promised that you’d be screaming for the rest of the night, now didn’t I?” He murmured, and Nita trembled at the excitement in his eyes as she nodded. Kovit slipped a finger inside her, making her gasp and clench around it. “Well, the night’s still young. There’s plenty more screaming for you to do. And I think I’ve earned some dessert.” 

“OH GOD! I don’t know how much more I can take, Kovit!” Nita cried, feeling her body shaking. She felt like she wanted to arch her back to pull away from the sensations, but with the pillow under her hips, all she could do was lay there and let Kovit play with her. It also made her legs open wider, giving him even better access to her, and when he pressed his thumb over her clit, it was almost painful, making her cry out as she grabbed his wrist. “TOO MUCH KOVIT! TOO MUCH!!” He felt the surge of almost pain and winced, removing his thumb quickly.

“Sorry, sorry. Shit, I’m sorry.” ~ _ Right, right, right, sensitive, like I get after cumming. Try something else, somewhere else. Fuck, uh.. _ ~ Nita hadn’t removed his hand from touching her completely, so he slid a second finger into her, and she moaned, her eyelids fluttering. “How’s that?” 

“Yes, please, yes…” her words were hardly more than a whisper, but the grip Nita had on his wrist, pressing him into her, was encouragement enough, and Kovit began moving his fingers back and forth, in a come hither motion, and rested his cheek against her thigh, watching her reaction. Nita began moaning and shifting, her chest heaving as the pleasure built up inside again. Her free hand moved from where it was tangled in the blanket to a breast, and began kneading it, making Kovit moan. He shifted and reached up to play with the other, neglected breast, and Nita threw her head back with a happy cry, the hand on his wrist reaching up to tangle itself into his hair. Kovit leaned into her touch, kissing and sucking on the skin on the inside of her arm.

Nita was soaked in bliss. Every nerve was alive, sending electric waves of pleasure surging through her with every movement. Each breath she took ended in a noise of some kind, Nita unable to stifle herself, and her vision was blurry from her eyes crossing and rolling so much. ~ _ Oh God, yes. So good! _ ~ Her free hand came up to her breast, and the feel of her smooth skin was so good, Nita whimpered, barely hearing Kovit’s moan. ~ _ Oh, fuck, yes, watch me… _ ~ the thought made Nita clench, and when Kovit’s calloused hand began to message her other breast, Nita fell over another edge, unable to stop herself from reaching for him as she cried out her pleasure. 

“Oh! Kovit! PLEASE! MORE!” Nita tugged on his hair, and felt his lips move from her arm to her entrance. And the world ceased to exist except for the feeling of his tongue probing her, twisting and fluttering next to his fingers, his other hand on her chest, and Nita bucked into him again. Her pleasure built and crested, and built again, until Nita didn’t know if it was multiple orgasms or one long, continuous one that was ripping screams from her throat. ~ _ Oh fuck, he’s kissing me, NO, he’s FUCKING me with his TONGUE! _ ~ Nita thrashed in delight as Kovit’s tongue retreated and returned, over and over, filling her wonderfully. The tension building in her was wound so tight, she was sure she was going to explode if it didn’t stop. Desperation made Nita curl up and claw at Kovit’s back. “PLEASE!  _ Cariño _ ! I can’t take anymore! My clit, please, make me cum! PLEASE!”

Kovit shuddered as Nita screamed and clawed at him, and shifted to give her what she wanted. As much as he wanted to keep going, extending her pleasure, he could feel the small shocks of pain that laced through Nita. She was getting overstimulated, she needed release, and to rest. And as much as those small shocks excited him, Kovit still held onto his control by a thread. So with a vicious snarl, he shoved his desire down, locking it behind iron bars as he made himself pull his hand from her core and grip her ass tightly, shifting his focus to her clit. Using the hand he had on her chest, Kovit pushed Nita back down onto the bed, squeezing roughly as Nita cried out, and he rolled his tongue around her pearl, sucking it gently. Kovit kept his mouth gentle even as his hands held her tightly, squeezing and pinning Nita to the bed, and he was rewarded moments later as Nita went wild, bucking against his grip, her hands reaching and grabbing for purchase on him. 

Nita was screeching like a wildcat, thrashing and sobbing with pleasure, and there was a salty, tangy fluid filling Kovit’s mouth, making him moan and thrust mindlessly at the bed as they rode out the explosion. When Nita finally collapsed, she lay shaking and shivering, her body overwhelmed with pleasure, laced with soreness. Kovit was panting hard, trying to suppress the shudders running through him as he felt the ache spreading through Nita. He still felt a bit guilty about how rough he had been, but her obvious enjoyment was a good counter argument to it, and he was trying to not let the guilt get to him. Instead, he watched Nita try to stay awake, and felt an overwhelming surge of love fill him up. Nita  _ really  _ wanted him. Physically, yes, obviously, but emotionally too. Nita was able to dream of a future for herself, and she wanted  _ him  _ to be a part of it, a major part of it, and that more than anything they had done soothed a part of his soul Kovit didn’t really realize had still been hollow. Kovit slowly crawled over Nita’s twitching body, kissing his way up to her neck and chin, nuzzling her softly as she whimpered and moaned.

“Kovit...I can’t....I’m sore…” Nita croaked, her eyes barely focused as she kissed his chin and nuzzled his cheek back. Kovit huffed out a laugh, and kissed her softly as he ran a soft hand up her side. Nita moaned again as he settled his weight over her again.

“I know sweetheart. I just want to hold you, just want to kiss you.” Kovit whispered, and Nita moaned again as she wrapped trembling arms around him, pulling him close so she could wrap her legs around him too. She felt his hardness settle against her stomach and smiled into his kiss as she trailed her hand down, making Kovit gasp as she touched him. “Nita...you don’t...you need rest…” he whimpered, nuzzling into her neck as he thrust into her hand slowly. Nita sighed happily and kissed his cheek as she held him close.

“I  _ am  _ resting,  _ cariño _ . You’re doing most of the work.” She giggled as Kovit panted in her ear, and they shared another kiss before he pulled away to groan in pleasure. “We can go slow and enjoy holding each other while I’m resting, right?” 

“You’re so  _ perfect  _ sweetheart!” Kovit cried out as he pressed closer, running his hands over her soft skin as he kissed every inch he could. For a long while, they lay together, shifting and enjoying the friction of hot skin against hot skin, the sweetness of lingering kisses and breathless exclamations of pleasure. It was slow and soft, everything that he could want, but still, Kovit could feel his end approaching far sooner than he wanted, his emotions running high and pressing him fast, and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to delay. “Nita! Sweetheart, Oh God! I can’t...I need…” Kovit shifted up, trying to reduce any risk to Nita. They weren’t ready for kids  _ now _ , he knew, even though the thought filled him with even more happiness then he thought he could bear. But Nita clung to him, and he didn’t get far before he let loose and came all over her stomach, whimpering with delight as he collapsed on top of her, pleasure overloading his brain and body. 

“Yes, oh yes,  _ cariño _ . Give me  _ everything _ ! I love you,  _ mi amor _ ! So good to me…” Nita was murmuring to him softly as Kovit came back down to earth, and kissing his temple as she ran her fingers through his hair. He shivered as her gentle touch, and tried to prop himself up on his elbows, but she tightened her hold on him, and after a few minutes, Kovit gave up the struggle, still trying to catch his breath from before. 

“Nita...I should move…I’m crushing you....”

“Don’t you dare. You’re perfect right where you’re at.”

“We need....to clean up…”

“Why?” Kovit raised his head just far enough to see Nita’s contented, sleepy face smiling at him as she held him securely, and he felt sleep tugging at him as well.

“No clue....But I’m gonna pass out soon…” Nita ran her fingers through his hair again, and Kovit moaned lowly in pleasure at her touch.

“Mmm, good. Me too. You can be my blanket,  _ cariño _ .”

“But…”

“Lay down,  _ cariño _ . I’m comfy with you right where we are. I’m not made of glass.” All the fight drained out of Kovit at Nita’s words, sleep tugging at him again, mixing with the pleasure and the love still filling him. He settled his head on her breast, his ear right above her heart. The steady rhythm was lulling him to sleep faster, and he had the sudden urge to make sure Nita knew how much she meant to him.

“I love you Nita..” He whispered against her skin, and he tightened his arms around her, and she did the same. “So much….Someday, I’ll give you a baby...When I’ve made things safe….I’ll give  _ you the perfect life… _ ~

Kovit wasn’t sure when sleep finally claimed him, but he did know that he started to dream. At first the images were just flashes, disconnected scenes of his life at the House, or made up scenarios that his brain created. Then his mind placed him in the apartment, on the computer. He couldn’t tell what he was working on, but it didn’t matter, because in the next moment, he heard Nita calling for him, laughter ringing in her voice. And there was someone else laughing too. He glanced around, but didn’t see her in the room, so he got up, and went to the door, opening it. And in the logic of dreams, found himself outside, in a yard with a playset. There was a figure bent over the swing, and he heard the laughter again, and it filled him with so much joy, he couldn’t help but join in. The figure stood up, and Kovit saw that it was Nita, her amber eyes glowing with love and happiness. And with her on the swing was a little girl, with long black hair. Kovit felt his heart stutter at the sight of her. She looked very much like his sister Pat had when he had been very small, only her eyes were like Nita’s, amber and full of wonder and happiness. The girl jumped off the swing and ran towards him, yelling.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Kovit felt himself crouch down and hold his arms out to the girl, and she threw herself at him and hugged him tight as Nita followed behind, much more slowly. Kovit saw with amazement that her belly was round, like she was pregnant. Her smile was wide and dazzling, and her voice husky as she spoke.

“We’ve been waiting for you to find us,  _ cariño… _ ”

“Hide and Seek! Hide and Seek! Daddy counts while we hide Mommy!!” The girl pulled away, grabbing Nita’s hand and tugging on it, while she laughed.

“Close your eyes,  _ mi alma _ ! No peeking or cheating at Hide and Seek, remember!” Kovit laughed, closing his eyes as he began to count. He felt the warm sun and the gentle wind on his face, smelt the grass and flowers. Heard the creaking of the swing. 

“Find us  _ cariño _ !” The voice was faint, and didn’t have any laughter in it now. Kovit felt his happiness slipping away from him. The sun felt hot, too hot. And the wind wasn’t gentle and cool, it was humid, and surging back and forth like waves. The flowers smelt wrong, too pungent, too many, and the swing, it was creaking too loudly. Dread filled his belly. Kovit opened his eyes to find he was no longer in the backyard, but inside another memory. He was back in The Death Market. The creaking was the dock under his feet, and the wind was the river, surging back and forth. And coming towards him was a boat. 

Nita was being delivered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm evil. I'm evil, I'm evil, I'm evil!!! I die every time my fav authors leave me with a cliff hanger, and here I am, doing it to you! I give you just enough to get a bit of a fix, and leave you hungry for more! 
> 
> So yeah, another dream snippet that my brain wouldn't stop bugging me about. So the part where Nita is playing with their daughter on the swing and Kovit comes out has been written in my head for a while. Like I said, apparently, this fandom is THE ONE for me to write a story about, because I keep dreaming about scenes for it. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed. As always, be good to yourself, and your loved ones. Listening to your own body, and partner and what they want during sex, while it may sometimes seem like it will kill the mood, actually only makes it better. And unless you are in a committed relationship and don't mind playing Russian Roulette, with pregnancy or STIs, be safe! Condoms, dental dams, so many possibilities exist to help. Our cinnamon rolls are playing with fire! And I'm well aware of canon, yada yada yada. Canon don't mean much in real life, sadly. People lie. 
> 
> That's my soap box for this chapter, lol. I try to keep them short, but tell me if I get to be too much, I know I can. Love to all of you! Blessed BE!


	18. Loneliness Soothed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kovit remembers when Nita was delivered. And they realize just how far they've come in their relationship so far.

Kovit stood with Jorge and Lorenzo as the boat pulled up to the dock, as Reyes watched from farther back. When the engine cut off, the men in the boat threw ropes up to the three so they could secure it, then they helped pull the boat closer so the people inside could climb out. Kovit’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the young woman asleep on the bench seat, her wild curls covering her face. She was laying on her side, her hands tied behind her back to the boat, and unlike so many others Kovit had seen huddled down and cringing in fear, her legs were stretched out and twitching, as though she were still trying to kick out and fight in her sleep. Kovit’s heart stuttered in his chest as he watched a guard free the girl, pick her up, and throw her over his shoulder before stepping out of the boat, walking towards Reyes.

“ _Hola_ _Señora_ _Reyes. ¡Qué bueno verte, como siempre!_ (Hello Señora Reyes. Good to see you, as always!)” He called out, his heavy boots thumping on the wooden slats of the dock as he walked, the girl’s arms hanging down his back as her head lolled side to side as she swayed. Jorge and Lorenzo helped the rest of the guards finish securing the boat as Kovit walked with the man to Reye’s side. When Kovit turned around, the man was fishing a cigarette from his pocket, and put it in his mouth with a grin. “ _¡Este es fiesta! Cualesquiera que sean sus habilidades, mis chicos tuvieron que dosificarla. Una vez cuando la agarraron y otra vez en el helicóptero. Luego tuvimos que volver a hacerlo en el barco. Sabes que te costará más, ¿verdad?_ (This one is feisty! Whatever her abilities are, my boys had to dose her twice. Once when they grabbed her, and again in the helicopter. Then we had to do it _again_ on the boat. You know that will cost extra, right?)” Reyes snorted.

“ _Estaban te pagará. Al menos sabemos que tienes a la chica adecuada._ (You'll be paid Estaban. At least we know you got the right girl.)” Estaban chuckled as he lit his cigarette, and shifted the girl higher onto his shoulder.

“ _Y también le traerá un buen centavo, Señora._ (And she'll bring you a pretty penny too, Señora.)” Estaban grabbed the girl’s butt and squeezed, chuckling again, and Kovit bristled while Reyes glared at the man.

“Tell him to move his hand before I cut it off.” Kovit hissed before he could stop himself, his hand reaching for his switchblade. Reyes looked at him from the sides of her eyes, and Estaban leaned into Kovit’s face with a smirk.

“Eh?” The bigger man said, his English heavily accented. “Does Little Tiger even know what to do with woman?” He asked with a hearty laugh, and Kovit glared at him darkly, shaking with rage.

“Since when do you care, Kovit?” Reyes asked coldly, and Kovit spared her a glance, thinking quickly. He wasn’t sure where these protective feelings were coming from, but they were going to get him killed if he wasn’t careful. He wasn’t at the House anymore.

“Since when do you let someone touch your merchandise without paying for it?” He answered her question with one of his own, and Reyes glanced away shrugging and muttered “True.” Kovit returned his glare to Estaban, and the guard simply smiled wide at him, his hand still on the girl’s ass. “I was taught manners, and to never touch an unwilling or unconscious woman. Move. Your. Hand.” The guard did, to pull the still smouldering cigarette from his mouth and blow out a puff of smoke. Estaban’s dark eyes glittered with amusement as he pointed at Kovit with the burning tip.

“I like you Tiger.” He glanced at Reyes. “ _¿Estarías dispuesto a dejarme comprar su contrato?_ (Would you be willing to let me buy out his contract?)” Reyes shook her head slowly.

“ _No. Entrega la mercancía, Estaban. Si quiere que le paguen y conservar su mano, eso es._ (No. Hand over the merchandise, Estaban. If you want to get paid and keep your hand, that is.)” Estaban chuckled and shifted the girl into his arms, then turned and held her out to Kovit.

“For you, Tiger.” He laughed as Kovit awkwardly took her from him, his eyes wide and a dark blush spreading across his cheeks as he cradled the girl in his arms, bridle style. The blush spread further when the girl’s hand came to rest on his chest for a moment, above his heart, and Kovit felt his heart rate pick up as her head landed on his shoulder, her soft breathing landing on his neck. She left out a soft whimper, and then some of the tension left her body, and she eased into his hold, almost as if she felt safe with him. ~ _Yeah right. As if._ ~ Pain and loneliness shot through Kovit, and he looked up to see Reyes and Estaban watching him with amusement, and he became angry.

“What? Do you expect me to carry her through the Market like Prince Charming or something?” He snapped at them, his voice cold, even as his grip on the girl tightened. “I think you have my part in the story confused. I’m the monster, remember, not a prince. Not even a street rat pretending to be one.” Kovit then let his anger wash out of him, bleed out into the river as his eyes watched it surge back and forth under the noonday sun as he let Reyes and Estaban have their little joke. He let himself become cold and still like a statue, his face neutral as stone, falling into the same routine as he had at the House when people would whisper around him. Jorge and Lorenzo came up, and Kovit only vaguely heard Reyes tell Jorge to go do something, before the man left, and then she and Estaban began talking again, no doubt discussing his payment, though it was in Spanish, so he didn’t understand what they were saying. Lorenzo kept darting looks at him, which was annoying. 

The docks were busy, full of people shouting, running back and forth, and Kovit yearned to be back in the security room, back in the stillness and quiet. He hated having to watch the monitors, sometimes coming close to turning them off, but it was better than being out in the Market. Alone in a sea of people, feeling their small aches and pains, but unable to eat it. Unseen. Or wandering into the wrong section, and finding pain he refused to eat. ~ _Hell on Earth. What the fuck is taking Reyes so long to finish? I know she hates the sun and the heat just as much as I do. She wouldn’t be such a pasty white bitch if she didn’t avoid it like the plague otherwise…_ ~ The girl in his arms shifted, and Kovit glanced down to make sure she wasn’t waking up. She had nuzzled her face into his chest, moving her hair out of the way in the process, and Kovit’s breath caught in his throat again as his mouth went dry. Her skin was a creamy caramel color, and it looked like an artist had dipped a paintbrush in chocolate, then flicked their fingers through the brush to splatter freckles all over her cheeks and nose. ~ _She’s soo pretty…_ ~ He thought, as Jorge came up with a gurney, which had been where Reyes had sent him off for.

“ _Pasaré más tarde por mi paga, Señora_. (I'll be by later for my pay, Señora.)” Estaban said before walking off as Kovit laid the girl on the gurney and they strapped her in.

The memory slipped away and became fuzzy, blending into dreams and memories of him helping to get Nita to the prison, and later, when he cut Nita, and Kovit became anxious, shifting in his sleep. His heart started to pound as he dreamt of entering the cage, his switchblade out, and Nita was standing there, defensive, staring him down. It was like and unlike before. Nita’s face was scared but defiant, like when he had cut her, but her eyes were aroused, like when he had chased her. And she was naked, while he had on only boxers.... Which even in his sleep he _knew,_ THAT never happened in Peru. Too many bugs in that damn building to sleep in just shorts, no matter how damn hot it was. Then he leapt at her, laughing wildly, and she screamed, and Kovit jolted awake, yelling. “NITA!! FUCK!!!” 

Nita startled awake as they pulled apart, a pulling, tearing sensation tugging at their stomachs, like a bandaid being ripped off quickly. 

“SHIT! KOVIT! What happened!!” Kovit groaned, a hand on his sticky and sore skin, as Nita whimpered and rubbed sleep from her eyes, trying to see what had scared him. Kovit was propped up on his other elbow, leaning over her, and his head drooped back onto her chest as he let out a sigh.

“Sorry…” He said, and breathed deeply. “Fucked up dream, scared the shit out of me. Then because we passed out without cleaning up, we stuck together. God, I’m such a fuck up…” He groaned, and felt Nita run her fingers through his hair soothingly.

“No you’re not, _cariño_. Not the first time bad dreams have interrupted our sleep, won’t be the last. Want to talk about it while we shower? Or after?” Nita kissed the top of his head, and Kovit cuddled closer.

“It’s fine, sweetheart. Don’t know if it really was a bad dream, just really weird. We were in the cage again, and I had my knife, but we were naked. So I don’t know if I was hurting you, or if we were doing some kind of weird, fucked up foreplay. Or maybe it was just my messed up mind processing shit, I don’t know. It just scared me.” Nita hummed and continued to comb his hair with her fingers, shivering in the cold air of the room, but wanting to give Kovit comfort until he calmed down.

“Was the door locked behind you?” She asked, trying to help him process, and she felt Kovit shift, his face turning into a frown as he thought.

“I don’t know…” He said slowly, thinking about his dream. “Actually, I don’t think there was a door at all, just the frame. And the glass from the wall was scattered all over the hallway, like when we broke out…” He trailed off, his voice calmer, and Nita smiled.

“Then it was probably just you processing, Kovit.” She said gently, and Kovit shifted so he was looking up at her through his bangs. Nita brushed them back and booped his nose, making him scrunch his face up. “We’re starting something new and scary, and we’re both full of insecurities about it. With as fucked up in the head as we both are, it would be a bad sign if we didn’t have weird dreams.” Kovit chuckled and kissed her gently.

“You are absolutely amazing Nita. I love you.” Nita smiled and kissed him again, before pushing on his chest gently.

“And I love you, _cariño_. Now, lets get cleaned up so we can get some real sleep. A sponge bath isn’t gonna cut it tonight.” Kovit nodded and sat up, letting Nita get out of bed. She stood on shaky legs and held out her hand to him when he didn’t follow immediately, and Kovit looked at it for a moment, wide eyed, before staring up into her grinning face.

“Wha...Oh, OH! You meant...together?” he asked hopefully, and Nita laughed, gesturing to the alarm clock on the side table.

“Flower, it’s almost 3’oclock in the morning! We just spent how many hours cumming all over each other?” Kovit blushed and took Nita’s hand, standing up from the bed and wrapping his arms around her.

“But Bambi, if we shower _together_ , showering might not be the only thing we _do…_ ” He said playfully, and it was Nita’s turn to blush.

“I think we can spare the time and the hot water to have a gropefest, _cariño_ .” She replied, and felt her blush burn hotter. “As long as it’s _just_ groping. I’m sore, and I’m sure you are too. And we don’t need to fall and get hurt or drown.” Kovit chuckled darkly, and nuzzled her neck.

“Are you sure it’s not just because you want to see me naked and wet?” He asked, making Nita gasp, and he began to nibble on the sensitive skin under her ear.

“Not _JUST_ because I do…though the Ogling Perk is a nice bonus.” she admitted, “Besides, showering together means _you_ get to see _me_ naked and wet too, Flower.” Kovit stopped nibbling to suck in a hard breath, and Nita grinned wickedly, feeling his heart rate spike. “ _And_ , it means you get to _wash_ me, which means you get to _touch_ me while I’m naked and wet…” Kovit pulled her into a hard kiss before grabbing her hand and rushing them to the bathroom, Nita’s giggles following behind him.

“I love you! I love you I love you I love you I love you!” He chanted on the way, bad dreams forgotten.

The shower was wonderfully hot and long, full of plenty of kisses and groping, and enough awkwardness to keep things light and full of laughter. Nita found herself missing the walk in shower of the student housing, the clawfoot tub was narrow and slick, but the true privacy she and Kovit had made up for it. And Kovit let her stay under the water for the most part, except when he absolutely needed to take the removable head away from her to rinse off. And they both very much enjoyed the sight of each other naked and wet. When the water started to turn cold, they finally got out, drying off and using their robes for the first time as they cuddled and brushed their teeth together. Nita grabbed her brush and sat on the bed to run it through her tangled curls as Kovit went to the dresser to get them new underwear, and he let out a whistle.

“Damn, good thing we did get more undies at the store, sweetheart,” he said, tossing her a pair. Nita raised an eyebrow at him as she put down her brush to slip them on, as he hopped into his boxers. “That’s your last pair. Other than the new package.” He grinned at her as Nita scoffed.

“Which still have to be washed before I use them. Like I said, we have to do laundry tomorrow.” She looked at the clock as Kovit chuckled, and snorted. “Well, later today, anyways. But sleep first.” 

“Never understood the reasoning behind that.” Kovit said, his face and voice perfectly normal, and Nita glanced at him.

“What, you mean washing new underwear before using them?” she asked, and he nodded, his face open and sincere. Nita didn’t buy it. ~ _He’s fucking with me again. He has to be. That’s too sweet and innocent…_ ~ Nita stared at him for a long moment, squinting. Kovit stared back, confusion clear in his face. Doubt began to niggle in Nita’s mind. “Seriously? You always wash new clothes, Flower...There’s, like, oil and chemicals and shit from the factory…” Kovit started laughing, and Nita threw her hair brush at him, which he ducked.

“You’re so much fun to fuck with Bambi!” He said, and Nita fummed.

“Some times, I don’t think even _YOU_ know if you’re fucking with me or not. Bring me back my brush!” Nita pouted as Kovit continued to laugh, though he did go and grab the brush. He held it out of her reach though, and kissed her first before returning it. Then he took off his robe and tossed it over the hamper. When he turned around, Nita was giving him a playful glare.

“What? Our robes are new too, and need to be washed..” he teased, and Nita huffed. Finishing with her hair, she sat her brush down on the bedside table, and took off her robe as Kovit got into bed. He watched, biting his lip as Nita knelt over him and tossed her robe so it landed in the hamper as well, and he ran a hand gently down her bare back as he enjoyed the view of side boob. Nita side eyed him with a smirk, then turned to face him and gave him a gentle kiss.

“Having fun?” she asked, and Kovit grinned widely, pulling her into a hug as he nodded eagerly.

“Very much so.” He replied as he began to pet her back, and Nita pulled the blanket up over them as they settled back to get comfortable. “Sexy girlfriend is extremely sexy, and, satisfied boyfriend is extremely, _extremely_ satisfied. And sleepy.” Nita giggled as Kovit yawned, blushing with happiness as she snuggled into his side, and traced the muscles under his skin.

“I’m glad,” She said softly, and Kovit kissed the top of her head, smiling down at her. He saw her worrying her lip between her teeth, and ran his hand down her back again.

“What is it sweetheart?” He asked, and Nita glanced up at him. “You’re thinking hard.” He said, and ran his free thumb over her lips to bring her attention to the fact she was biting them. Nita blushed harder, and snuggled into him.

“Just, my brain being stupid.” Kovit didn’t say anything, just kept petting her, but Nita knew he wouldn’t sleep until she felt better. “I was worried I couldn’t make you feel good, and I’m glad I did. I just, I don’t really know what I’m doing. And it seems like you do, somehow…” Nita trailed off, hiding her face in Kovit’s shoulder, and felt him hug her.

“And you want to know _how_ I seem to know, since I’ve never been with anyone.” Nita nodded, still hiding, and Kovit brushed her hair back gently. “Nita, look at me, please.” Nita peeked at him, red as a tomato, and Kovit smiled at her. “I’m not mad, it’s a valid question.” Nita lifted her head higher.

“It is?” she asked, her voice small, and Kovit chuckled.

“Of course. If someone claimed to have never turned on a stove before, but then turned around and made a three course meal, I’d be a bit suspicious.”

“I don’t think you’re that naïve Kovit! I mean, I know you've talked with the guys in the chat about these things, and with the girls too. I just don’t know how detailed your talks were, I guess.“ Kovit kissed her forehead, and Nita sighed heavily.

“With the girls, not so much. Like I said, at first, we guys were stupid young teenagers, and we got our asses reamed, which we deserved. After that, we matured, and while detailed sex acts weren’t discussed as much anymore, there were times when they were, like, debated, you know, what were the pros and cons, what actually felt good, what did their girlfriends seem to like, that sort of thing. If there was something the guys felt they needed a female perspective on, they asked the girls, and they gave their opinions.” Nita was quiet for a bit, and Kovit waited for her reaction. Were past conversations, even without a romantic context, something to be considered as baggage? Kovit wasn’t sure, and found himself suddenly nervous.

“So you were able to glean how to do all those things just from what your friends had talked about?” Nita asked, her voice curious. Kovit was relieved that she didn’t sound mad, but now he was nervous for a different reason.

“Somewhat…I mean, those conversations gave me ideas...” He trailed off, feeling himself blush as Nita looked at him. He took a deep breath and made himself say, “Alright, but you can’t laugh! LastnightmademerealizehowlittleIknew,soIresearchedhowtopleaseawomanthismorning! (Last night made me realize how little I knew, so I researched how to please a woman this morning)” Nita blinked as her brain processed the rapidly spoken words. 

“You...researched…” Kovit felt his cheeks burn redder at the awe in Nita’s voice, and she stared at him with bewilderment. “How does one research that exactly? Without, you know, experimentation?” Nita gave him a sly smile, and Kovit thought he was going to burst into flame.

“Nita, I went online…” He groaned, and Nita’s sly grin turned into devious delight.

“Do you mean to say you watched _porn_ , _cariño_?” Kovit felt his eyes bug out, and his breath whooshed out from his lungs.

“What?” He squeaked, and he saw Nita’s eyes dancing with merriment. ~ _She’s enjoying this, the little minx!_ ~ he thought, almost appalled. Or was it aroused? He honestly couldn’t tell. “NO! Again, I may be an idiot Nita, but I’m not stupid! Porn isn’t realistic! I wanted to make you feel good, not use you to get off!” Kovit grabbed his jeans from the floor, and pulled out his phone, before pulling up some of the articles he had found that morning to show Nita. “Articles sweetheart, from things like health magazines." Nita took his phone from him and scrolled through an article, her face going soft as she skimmed it. When she looked up, Kovit was watching her, a shy, nervous expression on his face. Nita felt her heart swell, and tears come to her eyes. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling Kovit into a deep kiss. 

“I love you, _mi alma_ ,” she whispered, her eyes shining as they parted, “Thank you!” Kovit blinked in surprise.

“What? Why?” 

“You’re putting in effort Kovit! I didn’t know things like this existed! Except for like, gossip magazines, and those always seemed, I don’t know, judgy? _Don’t know how to please your man? Try these tips!_ ” The sarcasm in her voice made Kovit laugh, and the tension broke. “So thank you.” Nita snuggled into his neck, and Kovit wrapped his arms around her and held her close, a small smile on his face.

“You don’t have to thank me, sweetheart.” He said softly, and closed his eyes as he enjoyed her warmth against his skin. He buried his face in her hair, feeling a blush creep across his face. “I just wanted to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. I want to make you happy.”

“Kovit, you did the equivalent of peer reviewed study for me. That is geeky and nerdy and sweet and romantic, and if I was any happier, I’d cry and scare you! Like I said, I didn’t know a, what is it called,” Nita glanced at the screen again, giggling, “A sex therapist? I didn’t know those existed. Hell, I don’t know what they do or how they do their work. Is it like a regular therapist, only they talk more about sex? Would that make Darico _MY_ sex therapist, since she told me I needed to pull my head out of my butt and talk to you? Or do they do things in a lab to find out more about sex? How do you even _do_ sex science?” Kovit was full on laughing, as Nita was carried away by her tangent.

“Oh My God! Bambi! You are such a _nerd_!” He had tears pooling in the corners of his eyes, he was laughing so hard as he hugged Nita to him, and she was having trouble talking as she giggled, but her brain wouldn’t let the subject go.

“NO! Seriously _cariño_ , _THINK_ about _IT_ ! Ok, like, questionnaires, I get that. Multiple choice _questions_ , yes or no, do you think this act feels good, ok whatever. That gives you the baseline for experiments. But then, _how_ do you _prove_ it? Do you hook people up to brain scanning equipment and have them look at pictures and porn? Do things with each other? You think _I’m_ a nerd? How do you stay in the _mood_ when you have wires all over your head?!?!” Nita’s tone and look of intrigued bafflement had Kovit rocking back and forth as he held her, desperately trying to breath through his laughter.

“I...I don’t...Don’t know….Nita!” Nita hummed as she giggled and let Kovit calm down. The idea was intriguing as it was amusing, and she couldn’t help picturing a room full of prim and proper scientists with clipboards peering at monitors, as behind a glass window a couple were in another well lit room with machines all around.

“Not to mention how _loud_ the machines would be…Talk about dedication to science...” She murmured, setting off Kovit’s laughter again. Nita shook her head and smiled widely, cuddling into Kovit’s shoulder as she fiddled with his phone.

“What are you doing Bambi?” He asked, and Nita sent him a sly smirk.

“Sending the article to myself. What else?” Kovit’s eyes went wide, and he tried to grab his phone back, but Nita held it out of reach.

“Why?” Kovit yelped, and Nita giggled evilly.

“I saw the section on what feels good to guys! I need to do my own research! Diana’s anime isn’t gonna help!” There was a ring from the landing outside the door, and Nita and Kovit looked up. “Oh shit! That’s right! I dropped my phone out there! And you dropped my pants and bra downstairs!!” Nita scrambled out of bed, dropping Kovit’s phone into his lap, and he leaned against the headboard with a groan as he felt the blush burn his cheeks hotter. Nita bounced out the door in just her underwear, which Kovit watched with interest, bending down to scoop up her phone before jogging down the stairs, and he could hear her cursing about the cold air as she thumped down the stairs. It was just a few minutes later before she was back, rushing up the steps with her teeth chattering, and she threw the clothes in the hamper before clambering over him to get back under the blanket as she shivered. Kovit pulled Nita close again, and she hummed happily as his warmth soaked into her. “MMMM! Screw winter! It needs to be spring!”

“Yes it does.” Kovit agreed, and rubbed his hands up and down her back quickly. Too help warm her up. That’s all. ~ _Keep telling yourself that, dude…_ ~ His snarky side said. Nita sighed happily, then pulled out her phone with a wicked smile, which caused Kovit to groan in embarrassment. He covered his face with his hands. “Nita, why are you fixated on this?” he asked softly. Nita didn’t say anything for a long while, but Kovit felt her put her phone down, and gave a sigh before peeking at her through his fingers. Her face was soft and full of care, almost as if she was worried about hurting him.

“Kovit, you are putting in so much effort to make me happy. Why wouldn’t I want to do the same?” She asked softly, and Kovit felt himself get choked up.

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing else you have to _do_ , though! You’re with me, you love me, you’re letting me be a real person! I don’t want this to add to your insecurities, I don’t want you to feel like _you_ aren’t enough!” Seeing the raw emotions on Kovit’s face, Nita sat up slightly and placed her phone face down on the dresser, completely away from them, along with his, and cupped his chin in her hands as she gazed at him quietly. Kovit’s eyes were cast down, and Nita thought about all their conversations over the past few days.

“Kovit, before me, on the rare occasions that you got the urge, can you tell me what it was like for you?” He shifted uncomfortably, and Nita stroked his cheek gently with her thumb. “I’m not passing judgement. Like you said, you’ve seen the anime that me and Diana watch.” She reassured him, and Kovit met her gaze briefly with a small smirk, before his blush returned and he glanced away again. “I’m just trying to understand, _cariño_.” Kovit took several minutes to think and then took a deep breath.

“When I was younger, first going through puberty?” He shrugged. “Confusion mostly. I mean, extra confusion besides the regular, what the hell is happening with my body confusion. Once I figured that out, you know, got “The Talk”” Nita grinned and nodded “I mean, I didn’t understand why it happened so infrequently, but like I told you before, it was a relief at the time. If your rules aren’t tested, you can’t break them, you know?” Nita nodded again, and Kovit sat back with a sigh, looking up at the ceiling. “As I got older, 16, 17, the rumors started. Girls had started to notice me for a while I guess, and while I didn’t realize it at first, had been hitting on me.” He gave Nita a self depreciative grin, and she smiled back at him.

“Obliviousness seems to be your strong suite.” she teased, and Kovit nodded.

“Part of my idiocy, I suppose. Or one more part of me that was broken. Problem was, they noticed my looks, but when they realized who I was, I mean, the ones who worked for the House, they avoided me afterwards regardless. So I was alone. And while pictures were fine, movies or anything like that didn’t hold any interest for me, just…” Kovit shook his head and shrugged, his eyes distant, and Nita reached for his hand, holding it gently. “Wasn’t my thing I guess. Even for pictures, my preference leaned towards video game or anime characters, especially as I got even older. It felt like any time I sought relief physically, it would just hurt more emotionally, make me more lonely. So I delayed as much as possible, because I was damned if I did, damned if I didn’t…” Kovit trailed off, his voice hollow and his eyes sad, and Nita’s heart ached for him. She shifted so she could sit in his lap, and lifted his chin, but he still didn’t meet her gaze.

“But at least if you waited, if you delayed, you could chase the dream. Pictures couldn’t judge you, couldn’t reject you. You don’t want just sex, _cariño_ .” Nita stroked Kovit’s cheek gently. “You want to make love.” Kovit’s eyes darted up and locked onto hers, and his lips parted and trembled as Nita gazed at him with a look filled with love and tenderness. He tried to remember how to breathe. It was the same look she had given him in his dream, the one with them and the little girl. ~ _Has she been looking at me that way all this time?_ ~ Kovit sucked in a gasp as Nita leaned in and kissed him gently, her hands cradling his face so sweetly that it felt like he was burning up with tenderness. Nita pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against his, and Kovit gasped again.

“Nita…”

“It will only ever be love with us, Kovit.” Nita said softly, brushing her nose against his, and he breathed in her sweetness, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her close. “ _Only_ ever love. No matter how rough we get, or how slow and sweet, it will be making _love_. Me giving you my pain, _that_ was us making love, even before we touched or kissed. I couldn’t do any of this without it being love, without it being trust, _cariño_ .” Nita pulled back and lifted his face again, tears filling her eyes as Kovit felt tears sliding down his, even as they beamed at each other. “I couldn’t want the child you promised me if it was any different, _mi amado_ . _Somos tan estúpidos._ ” 

“Hey, I agreed, I’m an idiot. But I’m not stupid.”

“I said _WE_ are so stupid, Kovit. Not just you. We’ve been trying to tell each other the exact same thing, but our wires kept getting crossed.” Kovit stared at her for a moment, and then let out a laugh.

“The women in the shop…” Nita nodded, and combed her fingers through Kovit’s hair as he rested his head on her chest, hugging her as he laughed softly, tears of happiness still spilling from his eyes.

“Just want sex. Not love. Not you.” Nita wrapped her arms around Kovit’s shoulders, kissing the top of his head as he cried his relief out. She rocked back and forth gently, happiness and relief filling her as well, some tears escaping. Kovit’s arms around her were the best feeling in the world. “I love you, Flower. So very much.”

“I love you too, Bambi.” Kovit sniffled, and rested his head on her shoulder, still calming down. “I’m so damn lucky…” He kissed her neck, and Nita smiled, running her hands over his shoulders, feeling the welts she had left behind.

“You are, and so am I. Me wanting to know how to make you feel good physically isn’t just about soothing my insecurities _cariño_. It’s also about showing you appreciation, showing my love for you, my desire for you. I don’t want to be a lazy girlfriend.” Kovit chuckled, snuggling closer.

“Fair enough, Bambi. Fair enough. As long as you don’t feel pressured.” He murmured. Nita giggled.

“Do we need to have the conversation about the difference between the phrases “Have to” and “Want to” again? I thought we already covered that tonight…” Kovit laughed and hugged Nita tighter, when a thought popped into her head and made her eyes go wide. “Though, I do need to add an achievement to the “Permanent Lock” list. There will be no ‘Butt Stuff’ on my part. Exit only orifice…” Kovit burst out laughing, hiding his face in Nita’s neck, which, given the blushes on both their faces, was a good thing. Nita giggled a bit, shaking her head as the words from the article floated in front of her mind, but Kovit’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“That’s one we can both easily agree on, sweetheart. No desire to give or receive anything like that, thank you…” Nita blushed even hotter at that thought.

“Oh...my…” she said slowly at the images that came to mind. Kovit’s laughter turned dark for a bit.

“Hey, even _I_ began to question my sexuality for a bit there. But no, I’m definitely _not_ gay. Not even for anime.” Nita deflated a bit at that statement.

“Oh, come on! Everyone is a _little_ bit gay for anime!”

“Nita, even a well drawn dick, is still a dick. _Nah_.”

“What about hot guys with clothes on _kissing_?”

“Does that _even_ count? Sometimes you can’t tell if they’re guys _or_ girls.” 

“It counts. Us women make do with even less than that, so it counts.” Kovit gave her a flat stare as Nita gave him a small smirk, then he huffed out an annoyed huff.

“Fine. _Minutely_ gay then.” Nita cackled and pulled him into another tight hug, and Kovit just shook his head in amusement as he held her close. “Weirdo.” 

“Your weirdo. And you love it.” Nita giggled, and kissed him deeply instead of letting him reply. “Think you could sleep now, _cariño_?” she asked with a sweet smile, and Kovit nodded, returning her smile.

“Can I be the little spoon again? Now that I won’t tear off anymore skin?” Nita giggled and nodded, and they shifted around so that she was laying on her back, with Kovit’s head laying on her chest, her fingers combing his hair. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they tangled their legs together, pressing as close together as possible. They would be able to sleep as long as their bodies and minds would let them, and the warmth and comfort they gave each other soon lulled them to peaceful slumber. Neither one had any more nightmares that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst and gentle fluff and a hint of smut! Can anyone ask for anything more? Well, yes, yes, I'm sure we all could, indeed ask for more. Another thousand books, detailing the lives of our precious psychopathic cinnamon rolls. Oh, wait, that's what fanfiction writers like ME are for, so Rebecca can continue with HER life, and move on to new projects that are just as awesome!! I can't wait to see what she comes out with next. 
> 
> So yeah. I love fluff! And comfort. These two are so good together. And they deserve LOVE!! 
> 
> More coming soon. As usual, give things your best effort. If you can't do good, then do bad well. and let me know how things turn out. I don't have bail money, but it might get added to the story as a snippet....either for our main group, or for an OC. And until next time, Blessed BE friends!


	19. Same Shit, New Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new day has started, and that brings with it more shenanigans! The same demons are always there, waiting to wrestle with you though, unless it's a cuddle with them day. Hopefully this day will be a bit better for our favorite troublemakers, since the shop is closed to customers. Let's find out!

Nita woke up to a beam of sunlight shining in her eyes the next morning. She shaded her eyes from the brightness, and felt a weight on her chest as she shifted. Glancing down, she saw Kovit’s sleeping face still snuggled contently between her breasts, his features soft and his breathing even as he listened to her heartbeat. Nita felt her heart fill with happiness and peace at the sight, and she propped the extra pillow up so it blocked the light from shining on them directly, freeing both her hands so she could use them to hold and pet Kovit to her heart’s content. Kovit shifted in his sleep, pressing closer to her as a soft smile lifted the corner of his lips, and Nita melted a bit more as she heard him sigh out her name.

~ _ I want this. Everyday. If there is a God, any God, I don’t care what kind. This is what I want. If you demand blood, I’ll give you blood. If you demand I make peace, I’ll do my best to make peace. I just want my love safe in my arms, and his arms around me. Please. _ ~ Nita had never been religious, her father had never taken her with him when he had gone to church each Sunday. Hell, for all she knew, he hadn’t even really gone to church those days, just used that as a cover for another activity. Though she didn’t really think so, and not  _ just  _ because she wanted to keep the image of her father untainted. As much as she wanted to keep her memories of her father the same, tinted with the rose colored glasses of her childhood, she hadn’t been able too over the past year. Her new maturity had seeped through, washing away her naivety. However, much to her surprise, it hadn’t hurt as much as she expected. Mostly because his actions rang true, even as his flaws as a person were revealed. 

Whatever had drawn her parents together, her father was a deeply loving person. Weak, undeniably weak, but deeply loving and faithful. And his religious faith was a part of that, and part of his love for her, his daughter. And Monica had known that, had used that against him, against her. Nita gazed at Kovit, his beautiful, vulnerable face, and swallowed a bubble of fear. ~ _ Will I do the same thing? _ ~ She wondered, tears stinging her eyes. ~ _ Will I take the good in Kovit and use it as a blade against his soul? _ ~ Nita dashed the tears from her eyes impatiently, and hugged Kovit to her tightly. ~ _ STOP IT NITA! _ ~ She screamed in her mind. ~ _ STOP IT RIGHT NOW! You are NOT your mother. You are your mother’s daughter, yes. But you are also your FATHER’S daughter. You are OF them, you are NOT THEM! YOU choose who you are. CHOICE! _ ~ Nita took several deep breaths and tried to calm down as she felt Kovit stir. She didn’t want her panic to interrupt his sleep. ~ _ My parents are lessons, studies of strengths and weaknesses. Values and vices. I choose which ones I apply in life and which ones I leave behind. Worrying about becoming Mom is good, insofar as it keeps me vigilant to the lines I don’t want to cross. But I can’t let it paralyze me. I have to kept going forward, I have to keep living. _ ~ Another deep breath, and Nita relaxed her hold on Kovit, realizing she had shoved his face deep into her cleavage in her panic. She dropped her head back on the pillow when it looked like Kovit hadn’t woken up from her manhandling of him.

“As wonderful as it would be to have death by boobies, your heart rate and short breathing suggest that wasn’t your intention this morning, sweetheart.” Kovit’s voice was dry, and Nita’s eyes popped open wide as she glanced at him again. His face was still relaxed as he lay on her, his eyes closed as if asleep.

“You’re supposed to be asleep…” Nita muttered, and Kovit slid one bleary eye open to look at her.

“Bambi, your boobs were smashed into my nose and mouth. Aside from the oxygen deprivation, there is no man on Earth that can sleep through the feeling of boobs in his face.” 

“Gay guys aren’t attracted to boobs, at least, in general, right?” 

“Pretty sure even the gayest of men couldn’t resist the cuddle reflex if his face was shoved into soft, pillowy, wonderful boobies. It’s instinctual from birth, boobs are food, comfort, closeness, all that jazz from our mothers. Only later are they about sex. Good job in avoiding my worry by the way.” Kovit snarked, and closed his eye again as he snuggled back into her chest, his arms tightening around her. Nita huffed out a giggle, and hugged him back, quiet for a bit. She loved this about them. They knew when the other was upset, but could be patient and wait until they were ready to talk. And they could accept when the other needed to keep it brief. 

“Just spiraled a bit, worrying that I would end up being too much like Mom. I was thinking about Dad. I miss him, and I wish you could have met him, that he could have seen how happy you make me. I think the two of you would have gotten along great, all things considered.” Kovit opened both his eyes and raised his eyebrows at her statement, looking at her like she had lost her mind. Nita smiled at him softly.

“Nita, sweetheart, I’m a zannie. I don’t think any father would be happy that their daughter is dating a  _ zannie _ .” Nita giggled, and brushed his hair back.

“I don’t think that would have mattered, not in the end. If everything else had stayed the same, but Dad had lived? I think he would be happy for us. Oh, I’m not saying he wouldn’t be doing the usual Dad posturing.” Nita giggled again, and deepened her voice. “ _ What are your intentions with my hija,  _ _ niño _ _? You sit there while I sit in my recliner, cleaning my shotgun. Just because she’s over 18 now doesn’t mean she’s not still my  _ _ niñita _ _! I don’t care if you are the world's fastest zannie and can cut me to ribbons faster than I can pull the trigger, you break my hija heart, and I’ll beat your ass! _ ” Kovit was laughing, and Nita was smiling, even as her heart was cracking a little. ~ _ How can you be mending and breaking at the same time? _ ~ Nita wondered, even as she was doing it. “My parents were flawed, complex people,  _ cariño _ . Mom wasn’t the ultimate villain, but she wasn’t a good person, just very good at using people to get what she wanted, and at not caring if she hurt them in the process. Dad wasn’t completely weak, but he feared Mom as much as he feared  _ for  _ me, and he loved us both. I can’t hate him for that. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if I’d be able to love at all.” Kovit stroked her cheek gently, his eyes were filled with care.

“I’ll try to not hold his weaknesses against him then, for your sake, sweetheart,” he said softly as Nita gazed at him steadily, and her breath caught in her throat. “It’s hard, like you said yesterday. They caused you pain. Even if it was just by standing by and letting your mother do what she did, he helped cause your pain. But if you can keep your rage on a leash and try to be fair when it comes to Henry, then the  _ very  _ least I can do is the same when it comes to  _ your  _ father. Of the three of them, he would be the most deserving of forgiveness. Your mother though…” 

“No,  _ cariño _ . Mom deserves our hate. So don’t feel bad about that. I can’t help hating Henry, but I will do my best to be fair about him, because I don’t want to hurt you. But don’t mistake me remembering good times with Mom as me forgiving her. It’s not. It’s just that, unlike my hatred for Henry or the hatred I had for Fabricio, that ran hot. The hate I have for Mom is still cold. Very, very cold.” Kovit shivered at the dead look in Nita’s eyes, trying to remember where he had seen it before. He leaned forward and kissed her, pressing his mouth firmly against hers, and felt her body melt against his as she sighed. The memory came forward. Reyes. When Kovit was being walked out of the prison to be executed by Reyes for letting Nita escape, and she had stepped out from around the corner with his gun. Her eyes had been cold and dead then too. 

And it wasn’t until after Nita had slumped slightly, as the shock of their situation sank in and panic sparked life into her eyes and she gave him that crooked grin when she tried to reassure him she wasn’t going to shoot him, that Kovit had been able to relax. Not because he had been afraid for himself, but because he had been afraid for  _ her _ . ~ _ Even then, I didn’t want to lose  _ her.~ Kovit thought as he drew the kiss out, slipping his tongue into her mouth to dance with hers. He knew he couldn’t take away her pain, not really, not completely, but if he could distract her, sooth her, even for a bit, he would. Nita sighed again, relaxing into his hold as she slid her hands into his hair, pressing back into his kiss. ~ _ God, I’ve been an idiot, waiting so long. I should have told her I wanted to stay with her in Tabatinga! _ ~ When they pulled apart, Nita gave a small groan as her head hit the pillow, and Kovit smiled down at her.

“Worst part of the morning…” She muttered, and he looked a question at her, and she smirked back. “Having to get out of the nice comfy bed next to you to go to the cold bathroom, just because my bladder is a bully!” Kovit chuckled and pulled back, letting Nita get up. He settled back on the pillow as Nita stretched and ambled through the light, and he let out a contented sigh as the bathroom door softly closed behind her. He stretched lazily and glanced at the clock, mildly surprised to see that it was past 11:30 in the morning. They never slept that late. ~ _ Then again...we didn’t actually go to bed until almost dawn I suppose… _ ~ Kovit thought with a smirk, his mind replaying the events from the night before. 

He was sore and spent, very satisfied, but he could still feel his desire for Nita, deep in his heart and soul, like an ember that only needed a small puff of air to spark into a raging inferno. Nita’s words from the night before rang in his head, and curled in his heart like a cat, purring away the aching loneliness he hadn’t realized until last night was still clinging to him. ~ _ You want to make love... I couldn’t do any of this without it being love, without it being trust, cariño ...It will only ever be love with us, Kovit...I couldn’t want the child you promised me if it was any different, mi amado … _ ~ Kovit’s eyes closed and his smirk turned into a soft smile as the image of their little girl drifted in front of his mind again, her bright shining eyes so much like Nita’s. He wasn’t sure if he was drifting off to sleep again, because he could swear he felt her weight on his chest as she hugged him, but it was suddenly gone when hunger bit into him. And not for breakfast. For pain. ~ _ That’s weird. I shouldn’t be hungry again, not after everything I ate yesterday. What the… _ ~ 

Kovit’s train of thought derailed, and his hunger pang was forgotten as Nita opened the bathroom door and walked out, stretching again. He smirked again as he watched her, her lean muscles rippling in the light as she tried to wake up. Sunlight caught on her curves and in her hair, and Kovit was struck by just how beautiful she was, and by how unconscious she seemed to be of her beauty. He ached to hold her, wanted her to she herself through his eyes. Nita’s eyes opened after a wide yawn, and she smirked when she saw he was staring at her.

“And just what are you looking at,  _ cariño _ ?” She asked, a teasing tone in her voice. Kovit held out his hand to invite her back to bed, and she slipped her fingers into his. 

“Just the most intelligent, beautiful, scarily sneaky woman on the face of this planet. Wondering what I did to make her love me.” The blush that came to Nita’s face was perfect, tinting her caramel skin a wonderful rose color that made her freckles stand out even more. Kovit loved the duality of confidence and shyness that existed in Nita, and it exhilarated him that she gave him access to both sides of her. That she gave him her trust. Nita climbed into his lap, her smirk turning into a smile.

“Sucking up won’t get you out of helping with doing the laundry,  _ mi amor _ …” Kovit laughed, and pulled her into a sweet kiss.

“Wouldn’t dream of it Bambi. Why would I want to miss spending time with you?” he asked, rubbing his nose against hers. “But maybe we can stop and get a late lunch, early dinner when we’re done?” Nita glanced at the clock, and cursed under her breath at how late it was. Then she gave Kovit a flat look.

“We just got groceries. And you want to eat out?” He nodded.

“I want to take my girlfriend on a date. Not a fancy, dress up date, since I don’t have a suit yet, but still. And besides, it will get us away from the ticks.” Nita giggled, and hugged him tightly.

“Fine. Let's get dressed, and get the laundry downstairs. Diana and Adair will be here in a couple of hours, and we need to open the windows down there anyways so Adair doesn’t pitch a fit.” 

At a quarter past one, Adair and Diana came in, stamping snow off their shoes and with annoyed looks on their faces. Nita looked up from the items on the counter she was sorting, while Kovit was doing his best to distract her. Their hamper was next to the door to the stairwell, waiting to be taken to the truck and to the laundromat. 

“My mug, please, Nita.” Diana said glumly, as she pulled off her coat and her gloves, and she rubbed her hands together as Nita dipped down and retrieved it. Adair’s skin rippled, and he was in his usual attire of a button up shirt and slacks, and he leaned against the counter as he looked over the items that Nita had priced. Nita stood up and handed Diana her mug and cocoa, and the girls shared a smile as the ghoul took in the happy shine in Nita’s eyes. Diana winked at Nita, making her blush. Nita took a big breath, and turned to Adair.

“So I take it the tick infestation is still just as bad as it was when we came downstairs this morning?” Adair snorted, and gathered up the priced items as he slid his eyes up to hers.

“At least ticks freeze in winter. If I could charge these bastards for taking up sidewalk space, I would. I’ll put in a complaint, but you know how it went last time.” The three nodded. The press had the right to be in public spaces, and it wasn’t technically harassment if they didn’t intrude on their private quarters or stop Nita or Kovit, or anyone else, from moving around. As long as people could push through them, they weren’t doing anything wrong. And if customers wanted to speak with the press, no one could stop them either. Nita had a thought, and went to her purse, digging out her wallet. She flipped through the cards and pulled out Detective Burrows’s information, and wrote it down for Adair.

“Try giving the Detective a call. He might be of more help. He was the one we talked with last night, who took our statements. Burrows said to let him know if anyone harassed us over the situation.” Adair and Diana glanced at the paper, and Adair smirked.

“Worth a shot. Look at you, protégé! Your first contact in the system, and it’s a legit one! I better watch my tail.” They all grinned as Adair turned around and took the priced items to stock them on the shelves, and didn’t even bother to stifle their laughter as he let his tail swing into sight. Thick and muscular at the base of his back, and tapered to a thin elegant point at the tip, it was ridiculous to see it sticking out of his butt when he looked human everywhere else, except for the flexible, scaly appendage. Diana’s eyes were glued to it as it gently swayed with his steps, and Nita cleared her throat to break her concentration before Kovit started to tease her. Luckily for them, his attention was on his phone, and the chat he had with his online friends. Diana mouthed a thank you, and Nita nodded.

“So, what are your plans for today, you two?” Diana asked, as she poured hot water into her mug, and started to help Nita price items. Kovit snorted at something on his phone, and turned it off, before tossing it onto the counter and looking up.

“The bane of every household. Laundry. Which means we get to venture forth into the outernet, and have to deal with the bloodsucking ticks.” Diana snorted with laughter as Nita grinned, and the ghoul gave him a look of sympathy.

“I’m sorry Kovit.” She said softly, and he shrugged, picking up a tangle of metal with a crank.

“It’s fine. They’ll get bored. Either of you know what this is?” The three peered at the piece, all of them trying to figure it out. It looked like it had the pieces from a mixer attached to a crank and a shaft, but the crank was rusted shut, and nothing else moved. They all fiddled with it, trying to figure it out, until Adair’s amused voice drifted over them.

“You look like archaeologists, uncovering a precious find from King Tut’s tomb for the first time.” The three glanced up to see him leaning against a shelf, a sly smirk on his face as he watched them, and Kovit held up the mystery item. Adair looked at each of them in turn, an incredulous look on his face, and snorted. “Really? It’s a hand mixer, an egg beater. You three really would be helpless without your gadgets and electricity. Also, it’s broken and rusted. Toss it.” Kovit tossed the hunk of junk in the bin as Adair and the rest laughed, and Adair walked up to the counter, his smirk back into place. “I found something interesting though. Perhaps you can explain it?” He pulled his hand from behind his back, opening it.

“My sock!” Blurted out Kovit, reaching for it. Adair pulled his hand back.

“Uhuh. I know  _ what  _ it is. I want to know  _ why  _ it’s downstairs.” Kovit and Nita looked at Adair, and Nita pointed to the hamper.

“Adair, we have to do laundry today…” She trailed off as Adair held up his empty hand.

“No. Again, I know that. But that still doesn’t explain why the sock was clear over in housewares....by the window....” Adair raised his eyebrow at Kovit expectantly, and Nita blushed beet red as she looked at the counter, mortified. Housewares....~ _ That’s where Kovit caught me the first time last night...Oh my God… _ ~ Nita wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.

“Dust bunny.” Kovit’s voice was calm and unconcerned, and Nita’s eyes flew up to look at him. The smile on his face was placid, and he held his hand out. Adair crossed his arms, his grin going wide, while Diana was looking at Nita with a ‘ _ Girl, you had better spill the beans,  _ SOON _ , if you want to live _ ’ look.

“Dust bunny, huh?” Adair said, his tone making it clear he smelled the biggest pile of bullshit ever. “Oh, I gotta hear this one. Continue.” Kovit shrugged, and matched Adair’s grin.

“After you and Diana left, Nita and I checked the shop, locking up like usual. Found a dust bunny the size of a tumbleweed. I made a joke about catching it, and you know how competitive Nita gets. The dust bunny kept bouncing away, so I took my socks off to get better traction on the floor. One must have fallen out of my pocket. We didn’t end up catching the damn thing til we got upstairs.” By this time, Nita had her face in her hands, and Diana was shaking from suppressed laughter. Kovit’s eyes were shining brightly, and Adair took a deep breath, humming in thought. He didn’t smell anything though, he wouldn’t have. Kovit and Nita had opened the shop’s windows for about an hour or so before he and Diana had arrived, and closed them just before the two got there. They just missed the damn sock. Kovit held out his hand again, flashing teeth with his grin as his eyes slid over to Diana for barely a moment before returning to Adair’s face. “You know Adair, it was actually kinda fun. Maybe you should try giving chasing a dust bunny a try. Help keep an old man like you young. Can I have my sock back, please?” 

Adair sputtered, his eyes going wide as the girls bust out into giggles. He quickly flicked his eyes over to Diana, but she wasn’t looking at either of them, so he concluded that she hadn’t seen Kovit’s look, and thus missed the real meaning of his joke. When he looked at Nita, her eyes were closed, and she was clutching her belly. Adair glared at Kovit, who just smiled, glanced at Diana and back at him, then waggled his eyebrows. Adair’s glare turned into a glower, but Kovit was unaffected, his hand still out, waiting for his sock. Adair felt heat in his cheeks, and wasn’t able to keep it out of his glamour completely. Grumbling, he shoved the sock into Kovit’s hand.

“You win this round, Tokyo Drift. Go do your damn laundry!” Adair groaned as he leaned his elbows on the counter, the giggles from the girls and Kovit’s chuckles sounding in his ears as they gathered their stuff up to head out. Out of the corner of his eye, Adair saw Diana miming to Nita ‘ _ Text Me _ ’, and saw Nita flap a hand and blush at her friend, and he groaned quietly again. ~ _ Great. Just...Great. They’re gonna be gone for hours, Nita’s gonna tell Di everything that happened last night, and she’s gonna get all riled up. Which means I’m gonna be stuck here, smelling every second of it _ ~ Adair’s core warmed at the thought, and he glanced at Diana’s smiling, happy face, his heart swooping. The image of playing chase in the water with her had his core warming more, and he stood up, muttering something about ice cream. ~ _ I’m going to need to invest in a damn soft serve machine. Bloody hell. 15 fucking years. I went without for how many centuries, and now it’s only been 15 years and some change, and I feel like a half grown hatchling, rolling in the sand, trying to find relief. Damn it all to pus spewing, blood gutted, mange rotted, HELL! _ ~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Adair! I write these notes, acting like I'm not the one torturing our favorite characters. But I love being cruel! It's so much fun!! And I hope you all love reading about it. 
> 
> Me and hubby have similar conversations, when I spiral, so it's something that you have to walk yourself through each day and each time. The whole saying that our family can make us or break us is true in some ways, but we can also remake ourselves too. 
> 
> I hope everyone has seen my new work, Snippets of Monsters. It's just something to hold the bits and pieces that don't fit in this story, but that I want to share anyways. Like the work says, and I have before, I scene jump a lot, to keep from getting writer's block. And a lot of those scenes, I want to put into this story. But either I will need to cut them way way the fuck down, or edit them probably. And the first snippet, Check THAT off the List, where I was planning on putting it, it would have just dragged out the scene too long. It was supposed to go before the dream of Kovit, Nita, and their daughter. So it referenced Chap 17 and 18, mostly 18 directly. 
> 
> So check it out if you like. And until next time, always check your pockets for socks, pens, and food before you wash anything. And gloves. I've worked as a CNA. You do not want to touch nitrile gloves that have been through the washer and dryer because you forgot to clear out your scrubs. It feels funky, and not the good kind of funky, the creepy kind of funky. Nails on a chalkboard shivers. Anyways, be kind to yourself, keep a healthy, dirty mind, and I'll see you in the next chapter! Blessed BE!


	20. Everyday Chores

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do monsters do their laundry? Same as everyone else of course! Not every business is a front! Sometimes a laundromat is just a laundromat! Doesn't make dealing with the public any easier, unfortunately...

Pushing through the press outside the shop had been annoying, especially since a few had followed them to the garage where the truck was stored. Kovit was carrying the large hamper, while Nita carried the smaller basket with the overflow of clothes and their soap and softener. When it was apparent that the press wouldn’t let them leave without a comment, Kovit turned around, frustrated.

“You want a comment, fine, here’s a comment. Value brand laundry detergent, unscented. Anti-dandruff shampoo. And chicken nuggets. Dino shaped preferably. Now move, before we report you for harassment!” Kovit climbed into the driver’s seat, slammed the door, and sighed. Nita smiled gently at him from the passenger seat. 

“Dino shaped nuggets?” she asked, and Kovit grinned.

“Of course. They taste better than regular nuggets, because you can make them fight each other. Ketchup is the blood.” Nita snickered.

“Of course,  _ cariño _ . How silly of me, not to think of that. Though you’ve never complained when I’ve gotten the regular nuggets.” Kovit shrugged, and turned on the truck, sliding his eyes over to Nita.

“That’s because they’re the eggs of other dinos, and I’m a raptor, chomping them down. Chomp chomp chomp!” Nita started to laugh as Kovit made broad biting motions in her general direction, while the press stared at them in confusion. He chuckled as he shifted into drive, then waved a hand at the people standing in front of them, and waited until they scurried to the side out of the way. “I swear, these people  _ want  _ me to hit them, GOD!” 

“Sadly, we don’t get to play Frogger with them. No matter how much they deserve to be squished.” Nita joked darkly, truly annoyed at the press’s obsession. If it had been anyone else to help the man yesterday, sure, they would have made the news. For a couple of days, a week, hell, maybe a month. But there wouldn’t be any questioning of motives. And then the person could go back to their normal life. ~That must be nice. To ever have had a normal life.~ She thought as Kovit threw his head back with a short laugh.

“Not worth it. I don’t want to be taken from you, sweetheart. They aren’t worth getting mad at, though, so we may as well fuck with them. You honestly think they’re gonna print my comment?” Nita snorted.

“So that’s the real reason behind dino nuggets then?”

“No, I really do like making them fight each other. Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!!!” 

“You are such a child, Kovit!” Nita giggled, and Kovit grinned.

“Nuh Uh!”

“Yeah Huh!”

“Nuh Uh!”

“Yeah Huh!”

“Yeah Huh.”

“Nuh Uh! Oh, Damn it!  _ Cariño _ !” Keeping each other in stitches, they continued on their way to the laundromat, traffic steady for that Sunday morning. 

By the time they had reached the laundromat, they had gone from joking to talking about spinning knives and doing tricks. Nita had complained that her pivot on the twirl just wouldn’t spin smoothly, no matter how much she practiced.

“Well, your hands are smaller than mine Bambi. You might need to move your pivot point to between your index finger and your ring finger, instead of your middle finger to get the balance right. That’s what I had to do as a kid.” Kovit shrugged as he hauled the hamper out of the back, and Nita paused to look at him in confusion.

“You can do that? Just, shift things around and play with it until it works?” she asked, and Kovit grinned.

“Keep the cap on if you’re using your scalpel, so you don’t slice yourself up. We really need to get you a real blade. I know you have an attachment to the thing, but it’s gonna snap when you don’t want it too, and you’re gonna be up shit creek without a paddle, sweetheart. It can always be your back up. Or your third.” Kovit said soothingly as Nita pouted, and she grabbed the door, holding it open for him with her hip. “You want multiple blades anyways, even if you carry a gun.” Nita had spoken with him about her plans to learn to shoot, and Kovit had agreed it would be a useful skill. His discomfort with them had been a hindrance in Peru, and while he could shoot, even he had to admit, he wasn’t what anyone would call a crack shot. 

“Not that either one of us are supposed to have either.” Nita snarked, following him into the warm building. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was mostly empty, just an older man in the far corner, and a couple of women by the dryers, chatting over some magazines. The old boxy t.v. hanging in the corner just in front of the door was playing an old re-run of The Price Is Right, Bob Barker reminding people to spay and neuter their pets. They sauntered over to a free washer, and Kovit put the hamper down, and lifted Nita’s chin with a gentle finger, his dark eyes holding a fire she hadn’t seen before.

“Fuck the rules. I’ll keep our skins intact, thank you, and beg forgiveness from the courts if the time comes, before I ask and am denied permission, and end up risking you getting hurt, let alone losing you, Nita.” He kissed her gently, and Nita melted in his arms. When they pulled apart, Kovit smiled at her. “Now, let’s see if I can do this without overflowing the machine this time, shall we?” Nita laughed. Teaching Kovit the basics of household chores had been interesting. He knew how to cook, at least the basics, because he had hated eating with the rest of the people in the Household, and he would slip into the kitchen and make himself food. But laundry, dishes, sweeping and vacuuming, those things? The House had had maids, and Kovit had been on the streets before that, and his Mom had taken care of things before  _ that _ . And he had only been in Peru for a month. For the people that were sold? Reyes had supplies, and Kovit wasn’t allowed to touch those. For him? He made do with the clothes he was allowed to take with him from the House, the bar of soap he was given, and the shower.

“You’ll do fine,  _ cariño _ . Just remember, we’re not washing out blood stains, or anything heavily dirty, so we don’t need a lot of soap. And we’re not bleaching anything.” Nita giggled as she dumped their underwear, new and old, from the smaller basket into one of the washers, and started that load while Kovit started a load of jeans after checking the pockets again. He waggled his eyebrows when he found his other sock, and Nita giggled harder. Kovit had picked up all the other chores just fine, like he said, he wasn’t stupid, but for some reason, laundry threw him for a loop. The first time he had tried to help, he just shoved everything in one load, dumped way, way,  _ way  _ too much soap in, and forgot to check the pockets for things, like the candy bar he had left in his pants. That had been gross. Luckily, he had left the water on cold, so none of the colors had run together, but they had had to rewash the load several times to get the excess soap and chocolate out, before it could be dried.

“Yeah. At least I’m learning, right?” He asked, and Nita grinned. 

“You’re doing great, Flower. If we ever get a place that has a dishwasher, I have to make sure to make a sign that says “No Dawn Dish Soap” though. Only dishwasher soap.” Nita giggled and shook her head. “Oh, Mom was so mad. Bubbles everywhere! Dad had shown me how to load it the night before, since I had always helped him with chores, but I didn’t know where the special soap was. So I figured, soap is soap right? NOPE!” Kovit started to chuckle, and Nita sorted through the rest of the clothes as she continued the story. “Dad had gone to get something, I don’t remember what it was. So I finished loading the washer, and started it like he showed me. Mom thought Dad had put in the soap. Dad thought Mom had put in the soap. Until thirty minutes later, and the kitchen was full of bubbles when Mom went to get something to drink, and started screeching like an owl. I came out to see what was going on, and they’re fighting over who had done it, and I said I finished loading it. They stopped and stared at me, and asked where I got the soap, and I pointed at the sink. Dad started to laugh, which pissed Mom off more, she asked what they were going to do about the broken dishwasher and all the bubbles. Dad said he’d fix the dishwasher in the morning, and opened the backdoor and told me to help him chase the bubbles out of the house. Confused the hell out of our new neighbors when they saw bubbles floating by on the breeze til they saw me and they just said, “First time with a dishwasher?” and Dad nodded and replied “And regular dish soap.”” Kovit was laughing with Nita, and when she was done sorting clothes, they went and sat down on the hard plastic chairs with a small table between them.

“So you’ve been doing chores since you were little then?” Kovit asked, and Nita nodded, a smile on her face.

“Oh yeah. I always helped Dad around the house. He would make chores into games. How fast could we put things away in the right place, how high could we stack folded towels, that sort of thing. He was my best friend, did his best to make up for me being pulled from school. He was very smart, and we used to read together all the time. It wasn't structured homeschooling, but thinking back on it, I think he went behind my Mom’s back on a lot of things.” Kovit raised his eyebrows at that, and leaned back a bit, glancing around. The old man was dozing, ~ _ Probably the owner _ ~ He thought. The two women were folding the clothes that had been in the dryers, still chatting away. No one else had come in after them.

“How do you figure?” He asked, and Nita’s eyes turned distant, inward. Her face became thoughtful as she shifted through her memories.

“Well, first off, Dad always made sure I knew my way around whatever place we were staying at, no matter how jumbled. That I could always find my way back to wherever we were staying, without having to rely on my phone or a map. He told me I needed to be able to tell my directions by the sun, the stars, by shadows, all of those kinds of things. Things that will always be in the world. Mom didn’t start teaching me how to apply that to the broader world like on the hunts until I was a lot older, almost 16. Dad started with it when I was like, 5.” Kovit’s eyes went wide, and he whistled softly while Nita nodded. “Dad wanted to make sure that if I ever got lost, or separated from them, I wouldn’t panic. That I would use my head. He would take me on long walks around the neighborhoods we lived in, and ask me how to get home. He would make sure I knew where the public libraries were in each place we lived at. He taught me how to tie knots. How to make fires without lighters or matches....” Nita’s voice caught in her throat, and Kovit leaned forward and took her hand.

“He was teaching you how to survive. Fuck, Nita, why didn’t you bolt for the jungle when you got out of the cage? Even with Dolphin Girl to slow you down, you two could have just picked a direction and walked away from everything!” Kovit whispered. Nita gave him a flat look.

“Mirella, Kovit.” She said softly, and let it drop when he flinched. “And no, I couldn’t have. I haven’t practiced any of that in years! Hell, I’ve probably forgotten more of it than I remember, and Dad was only ever brave enough to teach me small things, things that could be done while Mom was away. Plus, Mom started to take me with her when I was 13, 14? She controlled when I could use the computer, and when we went home, so I saw and spoke with Dad less and less. I’m just wondering if maybe it might be useful to look into those things again. The things I  _ do  _ remember are good for getting around towns and cities, but who knows how long things will last, you know.” Kovit smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently.

“And me teaching you knife tricks feeds into that sort of thing anyways. Relearning how to do those things will also help keep his memory alive for you, keep him close to you. It would be a way to introduce him to me, wouldn’t it?” Nita felt a tear escape her eye, and Kovit wiped it away as her heart choked her. “Bambi, sweetheart, you don’t have to defend this to me. It’s because of you that I got to see Pat again. Even though it went bad in the end, like I was afraid it would, I still got to see my sister again, still got to hug her and tell her I loved her, that I missed her. And she gave that back to me, even if only for a single day. I get it. We can stop at a bookstore when we’re done here.” Nita let her tears go, and Kovit held her as she wept quietly, rubbing her back and kissing her hair. The two women glanced up, and Kovit gave them a small smile for their concern, and felt their eyes on him as they went back to their folding, their words barely a murmuring that even his sharp hearing couldn’t catch. The old man continued to snore softly as Nita clung to him, and Kovit held her gently, rocking her back and forth as she calmed down. 

When Nita calmed down, she didn’t pull away, just kept her head on Kovit’s shoulder, tracing a finger over the pattern on his tee-shirt. Their position was a bit awkward because of the table between them, but neither of them minded. All they cared about was being close.

“Is everything ok?” a soft voice asked, and they jumped slightly, looking up. The women that had been folding clothes earlier were standing a few feet away, their baskets in hand. They looked to be in their late twenties, and were looking at them worried. Nita’s lips parted in surprise, before her brain processed the question.

“Um, yeah. Just, remembering my Dad. I lost him last year. Sorry.” Their faces softened to sympathy, and the one with auburn hair gave her a small, sad, smile. 

“You don’t have to apologize. I lost my Mom a few years ago to cancer. It just hits you out of nowhere.” She had been the one who spoke before. “I don’t think the pain ever goes away, not really, but the memories become easier to remember. More like treasures than triggers over time, if that makes sense.” Nita returned her smile, and Kovit hugged her.

“Thanks.” Nita whispered, and the woman nodded, before tugging on her friend’s arm. That woman was looking at Kovit with fascination. Nita kept her laugh in her head. He just couldn’t help his dangerous aura.

“We should go. You said that Grandma is making chili and sticky buns for supper right?” The friend blinked, then nodded mutely. The auburn haired woman rolled her eyes with a huff. “Then we don’t want to miss that, do we? You two take care, ok?” Nita and Kovit nodded, and they watched as the auburn haired woman dragged her friend away, snickering quietly as the two began to whisper to each other.

“Do you really think that was…”

“Shut up stupid!”

“But what would  _ they  _ be doing  _ here _ ? In a  _ laundromat _ ? Do you think this place is a front?” The auburn haired woman stared at her friend like she had grown a second head.

“Washing clothes, obviously. We saw them start their laundry Sara. Are you sure you’re getting your degree?”

“But Millie, if this place is a front…”

“Oh my GOD! How does Max put up with you?”

“Hey! If you’d pull your nose out of a book for longer than three seconds, you’d have a boyfriend too.”

“If I could find a guy who has read a damn book since he graduated kindergarten, maybe they’d be worth dating!” The women laughed together as the bell above the door jingled, waking the man in the corner for a moment. He glanced around tiredly, nodded to Nita and Kovit who were laughing quietly, and settled back into his chair, before dozing off again. The washers buzzed, and Nita went to put in the next loads. Kovit pulled out his phone to check the chat with his online friends. The group chat was full of ribbing from the guys.

Trevor:

Com’on Kevin! Don’t leave us in suspense! You haven’t been online for days except for school!!

Mark:

Yeah! There hasn’t been this long of a break since you fell off the radar last year! What’s going on dude!

Kovit:

Guys, give it a rest! Me and Nita have just been busy the last couple of days.

There was a short pause while Kovit watched the two chat bubbles blip and disappear as his friends typed and deleted their replies and typed again. Mark replied first.

Mark:

Just busy? Or getting busy? LOL!

Trevor:

Getting busy is more like it!!!

Trevor’s reply came in just a second after Mark’s and Kovit had to laugh. No matter how much he had told the guys that he and Nita were just friends before, the two hadn’t believed him. And now...well…~ _ I guess they aren’t wrong _ ~ Kovit thought with a grin. ~ _ Fuck it. I have to tell them at some point, I suppose. _ ~ He thought for a moment, staring at his keyboard, before deciding on his reply.

Kovit:

I know better than to kiss and tell. Not if I want to get a chance to kiss her again.

Trevor:

YES!!!! FINALLY!!!!

Mark:

You the man, Kevin! YOU! THE! MAN!!!!!

Trevor:

You owe Amy a shopping trip Mark! She told you it would happen before Valentine's Day!

Mark:

I don’t give a flying fuck dude! It finally happened! The Spanish Inquisition has conquered The Tower!!! We need to celebrate!

Kovit:

I’m out guys, I have laundry to help with!

With that, Kovit put his phone to sleep mode again, and went to help Nita haul the wet clothes over to the dryers. Seeing the smile on his face, Nita grinned at him.

“Do I even want to ask?” She said, and Kovit chuckled. He felt his phone vibrating, meaning the guys were still texting him.

“The guys online are being cavemen.” he replied, and Nita snorted. She shoved a dryer sheet in the machine and closed the door, and Kovit turned it on, then leaned against it

“What else is new with those two?” Nita asked, and Kovit grinned.

“Well, apparently Amy, Mark’s girlfriend?” Nita nodded, and Kovit pulled her close to him. “Apparently her bet was us getting together before Valentine’s Day. So she won a shopping trip.” Nita burst into giggles, and Kovit wrapped his arms around her waist as she laid her head on his chest. “Were we just being stubborn?” Nita nodded.

“Probably. Stubborn. Stupid. Scared. The usual, according to an old woman on the bus on Friday. But it doesn’t matter now.” Kovit sighed as Nita snuggled close to him, and then his phone rang, making him flinch. He pulled it out, frowning when he saw the number.

“The hell is my therapist’s office doing, calling me on a Sunday? Hello?” Kovit answered the call, his eyebrows furrowed as Nita watched his face. “Yes, this is him. Uh huh. Yes.” Kovit rolled his eyes and sighed, his arms tightening slightly around Nita. Then his face tensed, and his eyes went hard. “Yes, that’s right. We were. I had planned on talking with the doctor about it during my appointment on Wednesday. Because I have classes the next two days, and I already had an appointment set up, I didn’t…” Irritation flooded his face as the voice on the other end of the line interrupted him, and Kovit took another deep breath, biting his tongue. Nita stroked his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes. “Fine. My classes end at 2:40 tomorrow afternoon, and it takes about 30, 35 minutes for me to get to your guy’s office, as long as the bus is on time. Will that work for him?” There was a pause, and a response, and Kovit rolled his eyes again. “I’m not missing my classes, I already told the doctor this. So he can either work around my schedule, or it can wait until Wednesday.” Another pause, and then the voice spoke up briefly. “4 o’clock works. That gives me time in case the bus is late or the weather is bad. See you tomorrow.” Kovit hung up and jammed the phone back into his pocket, before slouching against the dryer, his eyes bleak. Nita rested her chin on his chest, not saying anything.

After several moments of silence, Kovit groaned and scrubbed his face with a hand, running it through his hair when he was done rubbing his eyes. He looked down at Nita, his eyes sad and a little hopeless, and brushed her hair back.

“I hate these court mandated therapy sessions. They’re fucking pointless. What are they supposed to tell me about myself that I don’t already know Bambi? That I’m fucking evil? That I didn’t have good role models growing up? That I wasn’t hugged enough as a child?” Kovit scoffed and leaned his head back again. Nita tightened her hold on him.

“I take it that they want you to come in and talk about what happened to Williams yesterday?” He nodded and sighed.

“Yeah. I got the;  _ The doctor wants to know why you didn’t call right away to inform him about the situation, this is important to your treatment, you need to remember, the courts track your compliance, blah blah blah _ . It’s all bullshit. All these doctor’s I’ve seen are fucking morons. This most recent one? His favorite broken record saying is, “Everyone has bad thoughts, but you don’t have to act on them.”” Kovit scoffed again as Nita stared at him flatly, and nodded his head. “No joke Nita. Complete bullshit.”

“No disagreement here,  _ cariño _ . I’m lucky as hell to have Darico. She may agree that we have a choice in how we act, and we have to take responsibility for our actions, but she still acknowledges that everyone has a monster inside them. We may get to the point where we can  _ control  _ it, but it will  _ never  _ just go  _ away _ .” Nita’s voice was annoyed, and Kovit groaned.

“Why can’t I have a smart one like you, Bambi? I’m at a point where I want to take my cheese grater with me, hurt him, and then hand the grater to him and give him the opportunity to hurt me back. See if he can really resist  _ his  _ “Bad Thoughts”.” Nita smirked at him.

“Tit for tat?” she teased, and Kovit laughed, some of the tension leaving him. He cupped her face in his hands, and gave her a sweet kiss.

“I love you.” he said sweetly, and Nita smiled at him.

“I love you too. We knew this would be hard,  _ cariño _ . We may not have realized  _ just how hard _ , but…” Nita shrugged, and Kovit grinned. “The past couple of days have shown that we’re not as alone as we thought, either. You have me, and I have you. We have Diana and Adair. Apparently Amy was betting on us…?” Nita trailed off with a giggle, and Kovit blushed.

“Yeah, the guys are over the moon too. I think the bet was more about  _ timing _ , not about it happening. I guess everyone else thought  _ that  _ was a sure thing.” Nita hugged him tightly.

“So that  _ was  _ just us being stupid then. Oh God, Anna’s gonna be pissed that she’ll be the last one told…” Kovit cringed and pulled out his phone, bringing up his chat apps. Sure enough, he had some private messages. He groaned and showed them to Nita, who started to laugh.

Anna:

YOU DIDN’T TELL ME!!!!

I HAD TO HEAR IT FROM TWEEDLEDEE AND TWEEDLEDUM THAT YOU AND NITA ARE OFFICIAL!!!!

They are going full on NEANDERTHAL in chat, and THIS IS HOW I FIND OUT?!?!?!?!

YOU ARE A DEAD MAN WALKING KEVIN!!!!

DEAD

MAN

WALKING!!!

Nita handed the phone back to him, and hugged him again.

“Better think of a good excuse,  _ cariño. _ I told you, it’s us quiet ones you have to be careful of.” Kovit chuckled, and began typing away at his phone as Nita went to check the washer.

Kovit:

I’m sorry! The guys were teasing me, and I spaced it! Plus I’m doing laundry…

Anna:

Uh huh. Sure.

Kovit:

Seriously. I’m sorry Anna.

Anna:

(Pouting cat emoji)

I’ve been telling you for months to confess Kevin!

And she had. Even when he had still been in the hospital, recovering, Anna had been there to support him and Nita. She had texted Nita when he had been sleeping more than awake, first through his phone, than through her own. Nita had told him that the same day she had killed her mother, the day he had been shot, Anna had tried to reach him in a private messenger, feeling horrible that the group had decided to kick him out. She had sent him message after message, and when he didn’t reply, had tried video calling. When Nita had returned to the hospital after her confrontation with her mother, she was still trying. Nita had finally answered, snapping at her, and when Anna asked where he was at, Nita had broken down and sobbed, explaining that Kovit had been shot and was in surgery again. 

Anna had stayed on the video call with Nita through the entire time he had been in surgery, and when Nita was allowed to see him, Anna shared in her sobs of relief. The two had become close friends in the time he had been asleep after his injury, and when he woke up, Anna was the first person Nita texted after the police and Fabricio had left. Kovit confirmed that Anna had never wanted him banned from the group to begin with, and it was the long talk with Anna that evening before Kovit fell back asleep that Nita said had made her think about learning from Adair. Anna was just as important to them as Diana or Adair had become. Kovit smiled at his phone.

Kovit:

You have Anna. And I’ve been an idiot.

Anna:

You have, but I understand. Not wanting to fuck things up makes idiots of all of us. Sooo? How is it?

Kovit laughed. Of course she would want the gossip. But at least Anna would keep it private. 

Kovit:

Amazing. Beyond amazing. Nita is everything and more. And before you scold me, neither one of us is ready for anything more than third base.

Anna:

HA! You read my mind!

Kovit:

Yeah, well, one ass reaming from you was enough, thank you.

Anna:

Oh please! That was almost ten years ago! You sure you don’t need a refresher?

Kovit:

It’s still quite vivid in my mind, thank you. Let me tell you, the language you used? Never knew such filth existed before. And I still cringe at some of the things you told the guys to go do with themselves.

Anna:

Oh sweet, sweet innocent Kevin. 

Girls may be sugar and spice and everything nice.

But we are also whips and chains, and will blow out your brains.

Kovit glanced over at Nita, who was back on the chair, her own phone out and texting as well, a wicked grin on her face. ~ _ Probably telling Diana all about last night. _ ~ He thought, with a hint of pride. He could still tell she was a bit sore. ~ _ Well, if she wants to show off, no harm in that. _ ~ He glanced around when the door opened, setting off the bell, and another couple came in with their laundry in tow. They headed to a free washer a ways down from Nita, and she glanced up at them, watching warily. Then she looked at him, and saw he was keeping an eye on things, and her soft smile at him sent warmth spreading through him. Their phones both buzzed, and they returned to their conversations.

Anna:

I didn’t give you a nosebleed, did I?

Kovit:

LOL, no. Like I said, I’m helping with the laundry. But you’re not wrong.

Anna:

HAHAHA! OOOOH! I’m gonna have to milk Nita for some details! You are stingy!

Kovit:

Like I told the guys, if I want more, I know better than to kiss and tell! I may be an idiot, but I’m not completely stupid all the time!

Anna:

You would be one of few then! I gotta go, I have to hit the store. I’m happy for you guys!

Kovit:

Thanks Anna. Be safe.

Anna:

You too. Give Nita my love.

Anna signed off, and Kovit glanced at the group chat. The guys were indeed being stupid, but had finally moved on to chatting about a game. Rather than risking setting them off again, he was about to slip his phone back into his pocket. When he glanced up, he saw Nita was still engrossed in her phone. The other couple had finished putting their wash in, and were sitting a few seats away from her, the girl staring at her phone with an annoyed look on her face. The guy though...the guy was staring at Nita. Kovit grinned, and opened up the private chat he had with her.

Kovit:

That guy is staring at your tits, sweetheart.

Nita:

I know. That’s why his girlfriend is mad. I heard her whisper yell at him.

Nita didn’t look up at him, and Kovit’s grin grew bigger. ~ _ God I love how smart she is. _ ~ He thought. They had done this before, plenty of times. Either Nita was truly that unaware of the looks she drew, or she didn’t think that she was beautiful, but Kovit knew better. He saw the way men turned when she walked by. And not all of it was about the black market either. Oh, he knew Nita could kick ass. She’d kicked his afterall, surprise blanket or not, and she’d fought against people all last spring and came out on top. ~ _ Well, minus a toe, but one on three are long odds. _ ~ And they had been working on her ability to fight and protect herself. But like Kovit had told her the past few days;  _ He  _ wanted to protect her. As fun as it was to watch her handle assholes and put people in their place, sometimes the urge to slice a few throats just surges up.

Kovit:

Can I gouge his eyes out?

That made Nita raise her eyes to him. And the  _ way  _ she did it. Slowly, her lashes just barely lifted as her molten eyes met his from under them. The look pierced him like a physical blow, and Kovit felt heat fill him as Nita’s lips curled into the barest hint of a smile. ~ _ Oh, that should be illegal! _ ~ He thought as he panted, a crazy grin cracking his face.

Nita:

He’s only looking, Kovit. We can’t punish every single person that looks.

But if he tries to touch?

Then you can break something.

Kovit swallowed hard, trying to get himself under control. The buzzing of the dryer made him jump, and Nita stood up, grabbing the smaller basket. Kovit opened the dryer as Nita held the basket, and he dumped the warm clothes into it as she gave him that smouldering look again. Kovit sucked in a hissing breath.

“Naughty Bambi!” He whispered. And Nita giggled huskily.

“Your Bambi.” She answered, making Kovit groan. Their washers dinged, and Nita handed him the dryer sheets. “Would you switch those while I start folding,  _ cariño _ ? That should make up the last load.” Kovit nodded and gave her a peck on the lips, then watched her sashay over to the table provided for folding clothes. As he sauntered over to their washers, he saw the other couple watching him. The guy was glaring, beet red, and the girl was simply watching, her face bland. But there was a bit of fear in her eyes. Kovit gave her a polite nod, completely ignoring the guy, which made him go redder, and set about pulling their wet clothes into the hamper. Once he double checked and made sure he had all their things, he turned, and looked at the couple again. 

The woman was back on her phone, ignoring him. The guy had his arms crossed, and was glaring at the wall, shooting glances at him from time to time. Kovit turned a bit, so his face was away from the woman, and when the man was looking at him, sent him one of his favorite smiles. One guaranteed to make people crack. The man went pale and began to tremble, his gaze dropping to the floor. Kovit finished turning away, and started their wet things in the dryer, before walking up behind Nita and wrapping his arms around her. She turned her head up for a kiss.

“You are a  _ bad  _ man, Flower.” She said softly as Kovit laid his head on her shoulder, a sly look in her eyes. He just grinned at her as he pressed into her for a moment, nuzzling her neck.

“And you are mine, Bambi. All  _ MINE _ !” He replied just as softly, enjoying her shiver as he kissed her again. Kovit then pulled away reluctantly, and helped her fold their clothes as they waited for their last load to dry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Nita! Naughty, naughty, naughty Nita! Why in the world would you ever think Kovit wouldn't want to stay by your side? 
> 
> Buwahahaha! Why do I have so much fun being cruel? Listening to Nightcore songs while writing probably isn't helping any, lol. 
> 
> Just a heads up for everyone. I will be going on vacation on the 12th of this month. I'm going to visit my brother for a week in another state, so that week I won't be posting. I wanted to make sure I gave everyone plenty of warning, just so you knew what was up. I know my schedule is hinky as it is, I just didn't want anyone to worry. I'll probably have at least 1-2 more posts before then, hopefully 2, and I'll put reminders in each chap. 
> 
> I just know how important it is to readers, since it's important to ME, to know when there is gonna be a break, if authors know ahead of time. Shit happens in life that we can't control, and obviously, writing takes a back seat sometimes and we can't expect to know everything, but if someone knows ahead of time, and can give a heads up, it's nice to do so. I have bad, bad, bad anxiety, and one way I combat it, is to have things planned out when I can. I really don't like last minute things. It's part of why I'm a prepper/survivalist. So when shit goes sideways, I feel prepared and able to handle it. Tangent I know, but my brain be weird like that.
> 
> So yeah, leaving on the 12th, hopefully at least 2 more posts before then. Be good to yourself until the next chapter! Clean clothes are the bomb! Smell soo good! Blessed BE friends!


	21. First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kovit and Nita stop to get a bite to eat. Of course, being the trouble magnet that they are, nothing is ever as simple as they would like, is it?

When the second load was dry and folded, they headed out, talking about what kind of books they wanted to find. 

"If we have to run someday, do you think we would be going out in the woods and stuff? Or do you think we'll be staying in towns at least?" Kovit asked. Nita snorted. 

"We may not be given a choice except to keep moving, but between the two, I'd rather stay with towns at least. Now I know why Mom answered the way she did when I asked her once why she never went camping with me and Dad." Kovit shot her a confused look as he changed lanes.

"What does that have to do with anything Bambi?" Nita started to giggle.

"Mom always refused to stay anywhere that didn't have running hot water, Kovit. Do you know how people used to have hot baths before indoor plumbing was a common thing?" Kovit nodded.

"Yeah, even in parts of Thailand today, you'd still have to heat water on a stove or a fire if you want a hot bath. So what?" Nita's smile became tight.

"Sponge baths were also called whores baths, when indoor plumbing became more accessible to the general public. Mom's answer was she had taken enough to last her a lifetime that she didn't want to take anymore, even if it was  _ just _ camping." Kovit's face went blank as he parked the truck, and he sat very still as he processed that information. He very carefully did not look at Nita, but could tell she was grinning like a shark. 

"You know Nita, there are some things a man just doesn't need to think about, especially if he wants to keep his sanity. That would be one of them." Nita cackled evilly as they got out. The weather wasn't as bad today, thankfully, the sun was shining and the wind was still, but it was still cold, so they hurried into the bookstore. When they got inside, there was a bored looking teenager at the register, playing on his phone. He looked up briefly before returning to it.

~At least I say hello to customers~ Nita thought snidely, but then gave a mental shrug. ~Oh well. One less person to bother with.~ 

"Come on. Let's check out the camping section. Even if sleeping in the woods isn't on our bucket list, it never hurts to at least know how to not die, right?" Nita murmured to Kovit, and he gave her an easy smile.

"You don't think I could build you a log cabin Bambi?" They laughed quietly together as they began to browse.

"I'm sure we could, Flower. But where would we get the dino nuggets at? And internet service?" Kovit gave a look of mock horror.

"You mean the nuggets don't just appear in the freezers, magically? And wifi doesn't come from trees?" Nita elbowed him, and they walked around, poking through the different sections in the store. Nita found a book on tattoo and piercing care that caught her eye, and Kovit found a couple of books, one on knives, the other a compilation of guides to a series of games. 

When they found the camping section, there was an abundance of books with tips and hacks guaranteed to make camping more comfortable and fun for the whole family. Most of them were gimmicky, in Nita's opinion, though a couple seemed promising. They kept looking, and found a copy of the Boyscouts handbook, as well as a book titled Survival Tactics, that promised to outline how to survive most things from being lost in the wilderness to a collapsed building. 

If nothing else, it was an interesting mental exercise, and a fun time spent out together. Nita felt like they were being proactive, instead of reactive, like when they had lured Andrej to Buenos Aires. Even if all they were doing was gathering knowledge, they were filling in a gap with something that could be useful. They headed up to the register, looking over the books they had decided on, and teasing each other. The teenager gave them a quiet hello as they approached, and they nodded. He rang them up quickly, asking the usual questions about rewards cards, but didn't push the issue when they declined. 

"He felt like shit." Kovit muttered as they left, and Nita sent him a quick look. Kovit shook his head. “Headache, upset stomach. Enough to make the kid miserable, nothing I could use.” Nita frowned.

“And here I was being snide to him in my head. Opps.” Kovit chuckled and hugged her.

“Eh, we all do it Bambi. So where do we want to eat?” Nita glanced around, noticing that they were downtown enough to have the options of different pubs and restaurants. There was one that caught her eye, since the chalkboard outside stated it had the best chili cheese dogs in Toronto. She pointed it out to Kovit, who laughed. “Got a craving, sweetheart?” 

“It sounds good! Besides, it’s only a couple blocks away, so we can leave the truck here.” They put their books in it, then locked up and walked together arm in arm towards the pub. They fell back into their easy banter, teasing and talking about all sorts of things during the short walk, and Nita felt a warm glow fill her up despite the chill in the air. ~ _ We really have just been stubborn _ ~ she thought as Kovit said something to make her laugh. ~ _ We’ve been flirting this entire time, and just refused to see it for what it was. _ WHY?~ When they reached the pub, which the large wooden sign read Johnny’s, Kovit held the door open for her, and bowed, making her laugh again. They stepped inside, and the smell of beer, ale, and chili permeated the air, along with the sounds of laughter, loud voices debating the sports on the various tvs, and the clacking of pool balls as they hit each other and dropped into the pockets of the tables. 

“This is homey.” Kovit said with a smile, and Nita leaned into him as they looked around. There was a large bar along the wall, with the double swinging doors leading to the kitchen at the end. Just past the kitchen doors, in the corner near the signs for the bathroom, were some old arcade machines, which had a few younger teens around them, bashing away and feeding them a steady supply of quarters. At the other end of the bar, near the front windows and the door, was a small stage with speakers, currently empty, surrounded by a dancefloor. There was a jukebox at the end of the bar, which was playing music that competed with the sports on the t.v., and wasn’t really winning or losing at the moment.

“Grab a seat wherever, a waitress will be by in a minute.” The bartender, a middle aged man, called from behind the bar, sending them a friendly wave, and Nita and Kovit nodded to him. There were booths made of dark wood all along the wall opposite the bar, with a few tables scattered in between. They decided on a booth in the middle of the room, and took off their coats before sliding in. It was only a few moments later when a perky redhead was standing at their table, a customer service smile on her face.

“Welcome to Johnny’s! Is this your first time here?” She asked, her voice chipper. They nodded, and her smile relaxed a little. “Awesome! Well, my name’s Clara, I’ll be your server this evening. If you are wanting to eat, the menus are there at the end of the table,” she pointed, and they saw the menus sticking up from the lazy susan filled with condiments. Kovit grabbed two, handing one to Nita. “Did you know what you wanted to drink? We have most common beers and ales, as well as the local ones, or I can tell you our specials if you like?” 

“Do you have Coke?” Nita asked, and Clara nodded, then looked at Kovit, who grinned.

“Make that two, please.” 

“Two Cokes, coming up. I’ll let you guys look at the menu.” As she walked away, they looked over the menu, and Nita saw the chili cheese dogs that had caught her eye. She licked her lips, just realizing how hungry she was. The smell of chili in the air was tantalizing, and her stomach was growling.

“Oooh, they have potato boats,” Kovit said softly, and Nita smiled at him. He flashed her a grin full of teeth that made her shiver pleasantly. “Wanna split an order?” 

“Like I’m gonna say no to potatoes, Flower? Loaded baked potatoes at that?” Nita snarked, and Kovit chuckled.

“I don’t know Bambi. I’ve never dated anyone before, but I’ve heard the guys complain. Apparently there’s this period of time in the beginning, where girls refuse to eat anything other than salads, but will steal the guy’s french fries even though they, “Didn’t want any”” The look on his face as he made air quotes with his fingers made Nita snort, “And they pretend they don’t fart, or burp, or anything gross. Like they're not human or something?” Kovit shook his head as they laughed together.

“I think that’s called an adjustment period,  _ cariño _ . Becoming comfortable living together. Pretty sure we’ve completed that step for the most part, even though it never really ends. You’ve seen me with the flu, all junky and gross.” Kovit gave her a wicked smile.

“Not to mention the time when you scared yourself awake, farting in your sleep.” Nita groaned, flushing red.

“You just can’t let that go, can you?” She muttered, glaring at him as Kovit laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, at least I don’t quack like a duck with each step after I eat bean burritos! You have the humor of a 13 year old Kovit!” Nita scolded as Kovit just laughed harder, and Nita giggled too, as Clara came up with their drinks. Nita muttered a thank you as the server sat the glasses down, and the red head glanced at Kovit with a concerned smile. He was red in the face.

“You still breathing honey?” She asked, and Kovit nodded, and turned his head to cough. Shaking her head, Clara turned to Nita. “We ready to order?”

“I am. I don’t know about Mr. Smartass over there…” Kovit nodded, still coughing, and waved his hand to indicate Nita should go first. “I’m gonna have two of the Johnny’s Dogs, with Chilli and Cheese. Extra cheese please. Then we want a large order of the Loaded Potato Boats to split.  _ Cariño,  _ what do you want?” Kovit took a deep breath, and wiped his eyes.

“Ah, a bacon cheeseburger, medium well please. With everything. And onion rings.” Clara nodded and smiled at them.

“I’ll get that right in. Give us a bit. Did you want the boats first, or with everything else?” Nita and Kovit looked at each other, and Nita raised her eyes.

“First?” Kovit nodded, and Nita nodded at Clara. “First, please.” Clara nodded again, and went to the kitchen, leaving the two alone again. Kovit sighed happily, and took Nita’s hand in his, kissing it gently.

“I’m the luckiest bastard in the world, sweetheart.” He said softly, making Nita melt at the warm, happy look in his eyes. 

“You are,  _ cariño _ .” Her agreement made him chuckle again, and Nita giggled. “Were you expecting me to disagree?” Kovit shook his head.

“No. But it’s part of why I’m so lucky. You hand me my crap right back, and I love it. I love  _ you _ , Nita. And I get to say it out loud now, not just in my head! I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.” He cupped a hand under her chin, and Nita snuggled into it, feeling like she wanted to cry from happiness.

“I love you too, Kovit.” She said softly, her voice full of emotion, and his smile went soft again, as she saw his eyes go glossy with unshed tears. Kovit cleared his throat.

“So tattoos? Or were you thinking about getting a piercing? That book you got looked interesting.” He asked, lightening the mood before they started bawling together in a random bar. Nita grinned, and shrugged.

“I was thinking about a tattoo. I mean, I have, off and on for a while, but when Darico brought it up on Friday, it came to the forefront of my mind, you know. If I could even get one that wouldn’t fade right away, due to my abilities.” Kovit nodded thoughtfully, playing chase with her fingers.

“I don’t see why not. As deep as tattoos go, they take years to fade, which means it takes years of shedding layer upon layer of skin, with tiny bits of ink in it, right?” Nita thought about it, and nodded. “So unless you shed your skin like a snake, which would be gross, or there's a way for you to force the ink back out through your skin, which I don’t see why you would, I think you would be fine, even if you speed up the healing. But if you’re worried, you could always let it heal normally.” Kovit said as the door opened, and a large group of people came into the pub. Mostly guys, but a few women as well, they all looked to be in their mid to late twenties. They all wore dark jeans, and most wore dark shirts under their jackets. Kovit and Nita both felt the tension in the air shift as the group headed to the back of the pub, towards the pool tables, and a couple of the guys split off and headed to the bar. The one in the lead had light brown hair, cut short on the sides but left long in front, and Nita was almost reminded of Fabricio, but he was far too tall and self confident. The bartender watched him with wary eyes, but gave him a polite smile all the same.

“Evening Jack. How are you and the boys?”

“Doing good Johnny. Here for some pool. Would you bring us the usual round?” The man named Jack flashed a grin, and the bartender gave a small nod.

“Of course. Did you want your cue then?” Jack looked around the bar as the bartender began to fill up glasses with beer, and his green eyes lit on Nita and Kovit in their booth. He leaned on the bar for a moment with a chuckle as he looked around a bit more, assessing how busy the pub was for the early evening.

“Not yet Johnny. We’ll see if anyone worth playing against shows up. No sense taking the stick down if I can’t give it a good game, right?” Jack and his friend laughed loudly at his joke while the bartender gave them a pained smile, and just continued to fill glasses. The two grabbed what glasses had been filled and headed towards their group as Kovit and Nita glanced at them, and Jack gave Nita a wide smile and a nod. Nita resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but something in her expression must have shown her annoyance, because Jack paused, frowning. His friend pushed into him, muttering.

“Not while we have the beer Jack.” They moved on as Kovit gave them a glance before turning his eyes back to Nita with a grin.

“Well. Looks like things just got interesting, sweetheart.” Nita  _ did  _ roll her eyes then, and scoffed. Kovit’s grin got bigger. “How much you wanna bet you insulted him? Disrespected his manhood?” Nita started to giggle, and threaded her fingers through his, squeezing gently.

“And I should care about  _ his  _ manhood,  _ why _ ?  _ You  _ are my boyfriend, Kovit.” Nita took a drink of her Coke as Kovit’s smile grew a dark edge.

“Oh, but Nita, don’t you  _ know _ ?  _ Relationships  _ don’t matter! We’re all just cavemen, girls are all just stupid sluts, and whoever has the biggest junk wins at sex. It’s the only thing that defines a man, right?” His eyes glittered meanly as he glanced at the group, and Nita almost snorted her drink up her nose. Pushing her glass away, Nita grabbed her napkin and wiped her teary eyes.

“Oh my god, that stereotype is real? Please tell me you’re joking!”

“No can do, Bambi. Bet you a back rub some of the idiots are gonna try and hit on you tonight.” 

“Blech. I’m trying to enjoy  _ our  _ date,  _ cariño _ . Not have nightmare fuel. Though up the bet to a shirtless backrub, and you’re on.” Kovit’s eyes and grin glittered for an entirely different reason now.

“The one getting rubbed is shirtless, or the one doing the rubbing is shirtless?” He asked, and Nita smirked.

“Yes.” She answered, and Kovit chuckled as Clara walked towards them with their appetizer. 

“I see no losers in this situation.” They both sat back as Clara placed the large order of potato boats between them, along with a pair of plates. Her face held a tense smile. Kovit glanced at the group sitting near the pool tables before speaking again. “Hey, Clara, right? Is it pool tables you have here, or billiards? I didn’t see when we came in.” Clara’s smile flickered and dropped, and there was a bit of fear in her eyes as she glanced between them before she cleared her throat, her voice back to the fake chipper tone she had greeted them with.

“Pool tables. The billiards table is broken, sadly. We also have the arcade machines, though those don’t clear out of the young teens til after 8 or so, so you’ll have a couple more hours if you’re wanting a game on them. Enjoy your boats. I’ll bring the rest of your food in a bit.” She turned and dashed back into the kitchen, ignoring the catcalls from the group of guys farther down. The pub was slowly filling up, people coming in to eat and drink, and there were several more servers out on the floor. Kovit and Nita began to pick at the food as they people watched, Kovit’s gaze thoughtful as he watched the group playing pool harass any female server unfortunate enough to walk close, otherwise they were simply posturing and being obnoxious for now. 

Nita focused on the customers. They avoided the group like they were infected with something, leaving a ring of tables empty around where they were sitting, even as the pub got busier. No one so much as looked at the group as they got loud, unless they looked like they were tourists, and then if they started to complain, those that looked like locals would lean over and have a quiet word with them, and the tourists would go quiet. Nita and Kovit looked at each other with small smiles and raised eyebrows.

“Well,  _ cariño _ ? What do you think? The people here seem nervous, but not terrified.” Nita murmured, lifting a bit of potato to her mouth, and sighing in appreciation as the cheese and sour cream merged together into creamy gooey goodness. ~ _ God, I love carbs! _ ~

“Probably a street gang, hustling pool for money. This is probably one of several bars they use. Don’t know what they would have on the bartender to make it their only spot, but there’s no Family here in Toronto, so they would have to switch around, otherwise word would get around and they wouldn’t get any marks.” Kovit shrugged, working on his own boat, and Nita rolled the information around in her head.

“Do you play pool?” Nita asked, and Kovit choked on his food as he coughed out a laugh.

“That’s racist!” He joked, and Nita held out her hands in confusion. “Asking the mobster if he plays pool!”

“That’s stereotyping, Flower, not racist! It has nothing to do with you being Asian!” Kovit raised an eyebrow at her.

“Are you sure, sweetheart? Asians are supposed to be good at math, and pool is all about angles and shit, right?” Nita snorted.

“Says the man who hates Algebra. By the way,  _ that  _ was being racist,  _ cariño _ .”

“Stereotyping is part of racism, Bambi.” They laughed, and went back to their food. “But to answer your question...Eh? I’ve played casual games before, when Matt would drag me out. There was a game room at the House, and of course, whatever bars we went to usually had tables, unless they were clubs. But I’m no hustler by any stretch of the imagination.” 

They were a third of the way through their potatoes, and needed refills on their drinks when Clara returned with their food. She looked like she wanted to cry, even though she was smiling. She handed Kovit his burger and onion rings, then gave Nita her chili cheese dogs. There was also a cocktail glass on the tray, filled with an orange and red drink that Nita didn’t recognize. Other than the blood wine that Kovit drank each day, Nita really hadn’t branched out into alcohol. The time she tried her mother’s was enough for her. Clara fidgeted, and held the glass in her hand, before looking at Nita with an apology in her eyes.

“Um, this is for you…” Nita gave her a small smile.

“That’s a Sex on the Beach, right?” Kovit asked, his eyes dancing, and Clara nodded, blushing.

“We didn’t order that, Clara.” Nita said, her voice soft. The server nodded again, her eyes on the table. She still held the glass, though her hand wobbled a bit.

“I know, um, Jack, from…”

“Send it back, Clara.” The server’s eyes darted up to hers, as Nita’s voice was firm and unyielding.

“I’m sorry, but…” Nita shook her head, her small smile never falling. Kovit began to chuckle.

“No Clara. We didn’t order it, so we aren’t accepting it. If he paid for it, give it to his server to go to his table if nothing else. I’m not playing these games. If he tries to bother you about it, send him to us.” Nita tilted her head, and let her smile go thin as she maintained eye contact with the woman. Clara gasped softly, her hand shaking harder. “It’s not your fault someone is being an asshole. We would like two more Cokes though, please. The food looks great, and smells even better.” Clara nodded, and went back to the bar to get their drinks, setting the cocktail down behind it. The bartender looked up at them, and gave them a small nod, which they returned. Kovit looked at Nita with a smile.

“Do I get to play too?” Nita glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, and he chuckled harder. “Jack-ass is watching everything, and looking pissed.” He explained. Nita stroked his cheek with a loving hand and smirked at him.

“Of course you get to play too,  _ cariño _ ! Just because we can’t kill anyone, doesn’t mean we have to stand for them being stupid.” Kovit popped open the ketchup bottle and gave himself a generous amount on his plate after Nita withdrew her hand.

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes?” 

“Exactly. How can we expect them to learn a lesson if we aren’t willing to teach them,  _ cariño _ ? And sometimes, learning has to  _ hurt _ .” Nita’s voice was hard, and Kovit glanced up at her, into her smouldering eyes. His laughter was deep and rich and thick. Like velvet. Nita let herself sink into it, wrap it around herself like a blanket.

“I am  _ the luckiest  _ bastard in the world.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Kovit. Yes you are.
> 
> Another little tidbit to feed the masses! I hope you all are enjoying things so far. I'm doing my best not to freak out about flying in a week, so the story is a good distraction. 
> 
> Any who, I must return to the world of adulting and get some work done tonight, so I'll keep this note short this time! That's a relief, right? LOL. Y'all be good to each other! Blessed BE!


	22. Let's Play a Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dates are wonderful, when it's just you and the person you want to see. Toss in an asshole that can't take a hint? Well, then things take an interesting turn. All our cinnamon rolls want is to have a pleasant evening together, and it seems like that is just too much to ask for. So they have to make their own fun. Being cooped up for too long really does drive people crazy, you know....

It wasn’t long after Clara had dropped off their second round of drinks, when a thickset man came over to their table, carrying the cocktail. Nita had taken a bite of her chili dog, while Kovit had an onion ring hanging from his mouth. When he had bitten into it, the onion had separated from the breading, leaving him with a long translucent piece hanging down. Nita giggled, as Kovit stared at it cross eyed.

“My friend would like to know what was wrong with the drink he ordered you?” The man said, setting the cocktail on the table. Kovit slurped the onion into his mouth, as Nita tried not to choke on her food.

“Slimy, yet satisfying!” Kovit snarked, wiping ketchup from his mouth. Nita covered her mouth as she giggled harder, trying not to send her food all over the table, and Kovit grinned as he took a drink.

“Hey! I’m talking to you, lady!” The man snarled, and Kovit glanced at him as Nita took another bite.

“We know. We were ignoring you on purpose. We’d hoped you’d take a hint and leave.” Kovit said to him, and the man sent him a glare as Nita chewed happily, nodding.

“Shut it pipsqueak. I wasn’t talking to you.” Nita swallowed and tilted her head.

“Was that an insult about just your height, or was it about your manhood too,  _ cariño _ ?” She asked, and Kovit laughed. The man grumbled under his breath.

“One thing to know about us guys, sweetheart, is it’s always about the manhood. In some way, shape, or form. We guys are kinda idiots like that.” Kovit confirmed with a small nod, and Nita laughed. 

“Look bitch, I asked you a question…” The man began to reach for Nita, and quick as lightning, Kovit had his switchblade out, and stabbed it through his jacket, pinning his arm to the table. The man gawked at the blade, his face pale and sweaty. “You fucking punk, this is real leather…” The man shut up quickly as Kovit’s dark eyes slid to his, cold as ice.

“I noticed. Reach for Nita again, and I’ll peel the skin from  _ your  _ ass and make some leather out of  _ it _ .” Kovit’s voice was as cold as his eyes, and the sweat on the man's face began to run down to his chin. Nita smiled at Kovit sweetly and took another bite of her chili dog, enjoying the man’s fear immensely. “You’re fucking lucky I decided to play nice and turned my blade so the  _ only  _ thing I stabbed was your jacket. Otherwise you’d have a hole in your arm too. But Nita is eating, and she doesn’t need some asshole’s blood getting in her chilli.” Kovit gave one of his cracked grins, and Nita giggled. The man was trembling.

“Thank you,  _ cariño _ . I have such a thoughtful boyfriend, don’t I mister?” Nita smiled as the man’s eyes flickered to hers. “And as your friend could  _ clearly  _ see, I’m on a date with my boyfriend. He needs to grow the fuck up, and accept rejection, not send someone else over to whine his case like a high schooler.”

“You’re dating a psycho, lady!” the man said, and Nita nodded happily as she pulled her scalpel from her pocket enough to show it and Kovit chuckled. The man’s eyes went even wider.

“Oh, I know. That’s how Kovit is able to keep up with me. I need someone who doesn’t break when our play gets rough.” Nita dropped her smile. “Now run along back to your friends, and tell them to leave us alone, so we can enjoy our date. Unless you  _ want  _ to offer your skin to make Kovit’s new jacket? Oh, and don’t forget your friend’s drink.” Nita dumped the cocktail over the man’s head, and Kovit pulled his switchblade out of the table, releasing the man to land on his ass in the mess. They watched with amusement as he slid and slipped to his feet, before he bolted for the door, the other customers laughing at him. Nita pouted slightly.

“ _ Damn _ . I was hoping his friend would actually get our message. Now we made a mess for Clara and her coworkers for basically no reason.” She said as Kovit took a bite of his burger, and he grinned as he chewed.

“I think he got some of it.” Nita glanced back, and saw Jack’s eyes on them, a scowl on his face. She smirked wickedly, and turned back to her chili dogs. A bus boy came up to them with a mop bucket and they apologized for the mess. He shook his head and mumbled something about "It happens more often than you think", and cleaned the floor quickly. 

They returned to their meal, discussing what kind of tattoo Nita might want to get, as well as their other books they had gotten, and tried to put the obnoxious group out of their mind. They enjoyed their food, and when they were done, Nita let out a small, satisfied burp. Kovit grinned. 

"Happy?" Nita asked, and he nodded. She glanced around, and saw that there were still some open pool tables. "Did you want to play a couple of games?" Kovit chuckled. 

"You sure you don't just want to step on some toes, Bambi?" he asked before finishing his coke, and Nita shrugged.

“Maybe I do. Like Diana said, we’ve been good lately. We deserve to let loose and have a bit of fun.” Kovit shook his head with a smile and grabbed his coat.

“Let me pay for our food and get some change. You grab a couple of cue sticks and pick a table. Away from the assholes. Make them work for it at least.” Nita giggled, and grabbed her phone, checking her messages from Diana.

Diana:

You guys having fun?

Nita:

Yes. Just had dinner. We’re gonna play some pool, so we may be a bit late.

Diana:

Oooh. Full first date! Nice!

Nita:

Not just that. Some assholes have been hitting on me and annoying Kovit, so I figured we could show off a bit, and get back at them. And if they’re dumb enough, Kovit can blow off some steam.

Diana:

Not to mention get you steamed up for this evening when you get home! Damn girl!

Nita:

I have no idea whatsoever of what you could be talking about! LOL.

Diana:

Uh huh. You’ll probably have Kovit chasing you through the shop again as soon as the door closes behind you two. I’ve been panting like a bitch in heat since you told me about that!

I’m surprised I haven’t hotboxed Adair right out of the shop yet!

Nita:

Oh my, I didn’t mean to make things awkward for you! I’m sorry!

Nita grabbed her coat and headed over to the pool tables, looking over the cues that were racked along the back wall. She wanted to make sure they had straight ones to use. Her phone dinged, and she looked back at the messages.

Diana:

Nah, no worries girl! Like I said before, I’m mean enough to enjoy torturing him.

He makes me itchy, I make him itchy.

It’s what we do.

Ooooh, fuck! Girl, you get to stare at Kovit’s ASS while he bends over to take shots!!!

HOT DAMN!!!!

Nita laughed and bit her lip, the image of her and Kovit playing strip pool playing in her head. Then she had a naughty and mean thought pop into her head, before she quickly typed it out to her best friend.

Nita:

I wonder how much control Adair has using his tail, Di.

Could he use it as a cue stick?

Or?

Other things?

Diana didn’t answer after that, and Nita wondered if she had given her friend a stroke. She was giggling like mad when Kovit came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her ear.

“Adair says whatever game you and Diana are playing, you two need to cool it before she passes out from blood loss. Apparently she’s blushing so hard he’s worried she’s gonna get a nosebleed like in an anime.” He showed her his messages, with the ones from Adair explaining that Diana had bolted for the bathroom, laughing hysterically. Nita laughed as she snuggled back into him.

“I was just looking at the cues and asked her if she thought Adair could use his tail to mmhmm….” Kovit silenced her with a kiss, as they both laughed into it. Pulling back, he pressed their foreheads together with a smile.

“Again,  _ Bambi _ . Some things a man  _ just doesn’t _ want to think about if he wants to stay sane! I know it’s different for you and Diana, but Adair’s tail is on  _ MY  _ do not think about list!” He kissed her again, and Nita sighed happily. “Let’s play, ok?” Nita nodded, and they chose their cue sticks before picking out a table near the arcade machines. Kovit placed some change into the table, and the mechanism underneath released the balls. Nita pulled the rack out from it’s spot in the side of the table, and began to place the balls into it. Kovit raised his eyebrows at her technique.

“You’ve played before?” He asked, and Nita simply smiled at him, not saying a word as she positioned the balls over the foot spot. Kovit narrowed his eyes playfully. “Oh I see. This is one of those mysterious girlfriend tricks, huh? Suddenly it feels like I’m the one being played!” Nita giggled as she pulled the rack away with a flourish.

“Oh hush,  _ cariño _ . You already won the back rub bet, it’s not like we have any bets on this. This is just for fun. I learned at home. Let’s not worry about calling our shots or anything, it’s been a while since I played.” Kovit didn’t let up on his stare.

“Uh huh. Why do I smell bullshit?” That made Nita laugh more, and she shook back her hair as she replaced the rack into its slot.

“Because you’re full of it. Break the balls, Flower.” Kovit laughed, and lined up his shot. When he shot, the balls scattered, and the 10 ball trembled on the edge of the corner pocket before falling in. Kovit looked up into Nita’s smiling eyes, and grinned. “Stripes.” He said, and Nita nodded.

“Solids.” She agreed, and waited while Kovit lined up his next shot. He pocketed two more striped balls before he missed his next shot, the cue ball just missing going into the pocket. Nita snickered, but Kovit was smiling widely.

“Hey, that’s a hell of a lot better than I usually do, sweetheart. You must be my lucky charm.” They kissed quickly, then Kovit stepped back to let Nita set up. He did his best to ignore the looks from the other group that Nita got as she bent over, knowing that getting pissed off this early would just ruin Nita’s fun. Instead, he let himself enjoy the view too, as he watched Nita tug her shirt down before leaning over in front of him with a smirk. ~ _ The others may look at her ass and drool, but Nita WANTS me to look at her tits. _ ~ Kovit thought with a chuckle as he glanced over and saw that the others were trying to see and couldn’t, and when he looked back at Nita, he saw she was still bent over in her follow through, her cleavage on full display for him. Nita was looking at him with mischief in her amber eyes, and when Kovit realized all of what Nita was doing, he licked his lips. Nita slowly stood up, shrugging her shoulders to pull her shirt back up where it belonged before she lowered her eyes demurely and set up her next shot. Kovit leaned on his cue and panted as he watched her, his gaze flickering over the rowdy group every once in a while as Nita moved gracefully around the table, accessing her options. Jack and a few of the others were watching them, and Jack was looking decidedly pissed. 

~ _ She’s decided to push them. She’s gonna show off, but only when  _ I  _ can see it. We can’t stop their stares, they know it, we know it, so she’s showing them that their staring doesn't matter. Fuck I love this woman! Nita is showing them that the only one who gets to enjoy her is who she damn well decides gets to, and she chooses ME! _ ~

Nita had sunk two of her solids before missing a shot, and Kovit watched her with hungry eyes as she walked up to him with a wicked smile on her face. Snaking an arm around her waist, he jerked her close to him, making her gasp into his rough kiss. Even when they pulled apart, Kovit held her close.

“You are a bad, bad, Bambi!” He whispered, and Nita bit her lip to keep from giggling. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were tempting me to do things to you, right here on the pool table. But there’s a crowd and public decency laws to think about…” Nita lost her composure and blushed hard.

“The idea is tempting though, isn’t it. I need a drink, you want something?”

“Just you. I don’t think the entire lake would be enough to drown the fire in me, Nita. I’ll try some ice water, though.” He kissed her again, and grabbed her butt, making Nita squeak. She giggled all the way to the bar to order her drink, and Kovit looked at the table and groaned under his breath. Nita hadn’t left him with any kind of shot worth taking. “Of course not…” He chuckled, and looked up. His chuckles turned dark when he saw Jack trailing behind Nita to the bar. “Of course…”

Nita hopped up on a barstool, and the bartender worked his way down to her with a polite smile. She slid over $10, and smiled back.

“Shirley temple no ice, and a large ice water please. The rest is your tip for earlier.” He nodded, but paused and looked over Nita’s shoulder. She tensed as she felt someone come up to stand next to her, and slid her eyes over to see Jack there. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head at the bartender in warning when he went to say something.

“Put her drink on my tab Johnny. And I think I’ll have my cue now, thanks.” Johnny looked at Nita, who simply shook her head again and waved her hand at him, so he sent a short glare at Jack and went about filling her drink order. Jack turned to Nita with what was supposed to be a charming smile, and held out his hand.

“I’m Jack. And you are?” He said pleasantly. Nita shifted her stool away from him and looked at him flatly.

“Not interested, which you already know. Go away  _ now _ , before you’re made to regret harassing me.” Nita kept her tone mild, even as she was seething inside at the guy’s smirk. 

“How am I harassing you? I’m just buying you a drink?” Jack’s tone was becoming annoyed, and Nita bit her lip to keep from smirking at the fact that she was getting under his skin.

“You’re not buying me anything.” Johnny came up with her drinks, and Jack’s cue stick. Nita stood up from her stool gracefully, and grabbed the cups. Jack blocked her way with the cue.

“I’m just being nice, trying to get to know you.” he said, an angry edge to his voice as he glared at her. Nita smiled thinly at him.

“But you’re not nice. You’re a jack-ass, that can’t seem to take a hint, or the word no, for an answer. So let’s try this. That’s a very expensive looking cue stick, a Meucci, if I remember correctly. It would be a shame if you were to need emergency surgery to have it removed from your intestines, though I suppose while the doctor was working on getting  _ that  _ particular stick out of your ass, they could also work on getting the other one you’ve been walking around with stuck up there, out at the same time.” Nita took a sip of her drink and used her other hand to raise the stick out of her way, turning and walking back towards Kovit, who had watched the entire interaction. She handed him his ice water, and he gave her a soft kiss.

“Thank you sweetheart.” Kovit’s eyes slipped over to Jack, who was still standing at the bar, and his eyes were colder than the water in his hand. Nita smiled.

“You’re very welcome,  _ cariño _ . Did you like the play I left you with?” Kovit watched Jack walk back to his friends and shove one of them away from a table. Then his eyes flicked back to Nita’s and warmed up.

“You’re very sneaky, Nita, leaving me with no shots worth taking. Don’t think they didn’t notice. Are you bluffing, sweetheart? Because they are gonna call it soon if you are.” Nita’s smile went wider.

“Let’s hope so,  _ cariño _ . Let’s hope so.”

Nita and Kovit finished their first game, with Kovit barely managing to win. Nita had scratched on her last shot, cursing a blue streak, and that made it so Kovit was able to place the cue ball in the perfect spot to sink his last stripe and the 8-ball. They played again, this time pulling out all the dirty tricks to distract each other, though Nita still made sure that she kept her back to the gang members when she was being particularly naughty. Of course Nita won that game. On their third game, they changed things up, sharing a single cue, and simply working on running the table together. They each still had their own suit, but Nita stayed in Kovit’s arms and helped him with his form while he supplied the power behind the shots. When it was her turn to shoot, Kovit would simply hold her, resting his head on her shoulder, soaking up being close to her. 

That had to be their favorite game of the night, despite the taunts and jeers from the other group. They decided that it didn’t have a winner, since they just enjoyed being together. After the third game, Nita’s drink was gone, so they made their way back to the bar together. Nita ordered another Shirley Temple, and Kovit got another coke, and they sat together, talking quietly as they waited for their drinks. Neither had noticed Jack or his friend at the bar ordering their next round until his friend spoke.

“Well, it’s no wonder she turned you down, Jack. They don’t drink real drinks, can’t play real pool. What do you even want with a girl that probably doesn’t even know what to do with a real man?” Jack’s laughter was dark and mean, while Kovit bristled and Nita rolled her eyes.

“They all have to learn somewhere, Mark. She’s cute, and the dude’s a punk. Don’t know what they said to Jeremy to make him run pissing his pants, but I want to find out.” The bartender Johnny came back with Kovit and Nita’s drinks, and gave the other two hard looks.

“Jack, Mark, the agreement was, No Fights. If you bust up my bar…” Mark waved a hand.

“Chill. We aren’t fighting. We’re having a conversation.” Nita snorted and took a sip of her drink, her eyes bored as she looked at Johnny.

“Yes, the council of cavemen are grunting and beating their chests. The debate is  _ thrilling _ !” She looked over at Kovit who was snickering into his drink. “Please tell me you had more brains than this?” Kovit shrugged as the two gang members glared and Johnny hid a grin behind his hand.

“I told you sweetheart, we men are fucking idiots, especially when it comes to women. Though this sort of thing was more Matt’s territory. I was just a spectator most of the time, and there to haul his ass out of the fire when it got too hot.” Nita batted her lashes at him, purposefully ignoring the glares.

“Awww.  _ cariño _ . Do you mean I changed your life?” Kovit grinned while the other two men made disparaging noises, and Nita rounded on them. “Seriously, how much more do I need to humiliate you in front of your friends before you get it that I’m not interested in you? Your dick jokes are boring and unoriginal, not to mention sad and pathetic. Probably a lot like your dick itself.” When the two stood up, Nita glared at them, and Kovit stood behind her. Even without height to make him imposing, Kovit still exuded danger. And so did Nita. The two looked between them slowly. Nita took a sip of her drink. “You want to start shit, but can’t handle it being given back to you, and think you deserve to be called real men. Please. I doubt you’d even be worth the time to dissect at this point.” Kovit raised his eyebrows at Nita as she slid off her stool, and straightened her sleeves. Jack and Mark were staring at her wide-eyed after the dissection remark.

“Damn Bambi.” Kovit said softly, a small smile on his face. “You,  _ NOT  _ wanting to dissect someone? That  _ is  _ harsh. I hope I never make you that mad.” Nita smirked at him, while the other two went pale as they looked between them.

“I  _ want  _ to touch you,  _ cariño _ . Even wearing double gloves, I’d be worried I’d catch something from  _ him _ .” Nita’s smirk fell as she looked at Jack, her face cool and accessing, then she gave a cracked grin. She held up three fingers and took a step closer to him. “But I tell you what,  _ Jack _ . How about we play some pool. Best out of five games. If you win, you get to spend the rest of the evening with me. On three conditions. I break on each game, we use the same cue, and if the 8-ball gets pocketed on the break, it’s an automatic win.” Jack glanced around at the silent pub, as everyone had focused on them. He swallowed hard, looking between Nita and Kovit.

“Alright. But we’re using my cue stick. And if you win, I’m guessing you want us to leave you alone, right?” His voice shook slightly, and Nita’s grin went wider, and she reached for the stick in his hand, her other hand pulling out her scalpel. Jack’s eyes went wider as she spun it smoothly over her fingers. 

“ _ Silly Jack _ . I get to keep the cue stick,  _ when  _ I win. Let’s hope you’re man enough to not break when the play gets rough. Rack’em up!” Nita barked out the last two words, then turned and walked towards the table where one of Jack’s group was racking up a new game. Jack and Mark looked at Kovit, who had his switchblade out and spinning by it’s tip on his finger. He tossed it up and caught it by the handle, then closed it and put it away before grabbing their drinks. Kovit tilted his head, his eyes glittering as he looked at the two taller men, then he held an arm out to them.

“After you. I may be a punk, but I’m not stupid enough to keep Nita waiting. This is what you wanted, right Jackie-boy?” They began to walk in front of him, and Kovit chuckled. “Too bad your friend didn’t stick around from earlier. He could have told you the same thing Nita just did.” When Jack looked back at him, Kovit shrugged, and took a small sip of his Coke. “Nita can get very, very rough when she’s mad. And guess who just pissed her off?” Jack swallowed hard again as they came up next to Nita, who was watching as the balls were done getting placed on the table, and the rack was taken away. Nita nodded to the person who racked, then glanced at Jack. He stared at her, and she glared. When he still didn’t react, Nita used the tip of the cue to shove him away from her and to the side of the table away from her. When her eyes landed on Mark, he scrambled to join the rest of his group, rushing around Kovit, who was doing his best to hold in his laughter. Nita looked at him next, and he cleared his throat, before offering her her drink. “A sip, love?” Nita took one with a small smile, and Kovit stepped back out of the way. 

Nita picked up the cue ball and skimmed her fingers lightly over the cloth of the table, feeling for any bumps in the slate or napes in the cloth where it would catch. She crouched down a bit to eye how level the table was, her eyes cool and calculating. She glanced over at Jack, who stood stiffly.

“I haven’t heard you calling your shots tonight?” Nita said more than asked, but nevertheless, it was a question. Jack shook his head, swallowing quickly. Nita looked away, and he took a deep breath. “We’ll keep it that way then. Play will go quicker.” Nita’s voice held no anger now, just precise control. That almost made Jack more nervous. Nita tilted her head this way and that, observing the table and the rails, then placed the cue ball onto it and lined up her shot. After breaking, Nita was solids, and she made shot after shot, until only the 4 and 6 balls were left. Everyone was dead silent as she lined up to put the 6 ball in the corner pocket, but her hand slipped on the strike, and the cue ball went skittering to the side, hitting the rail and rolling.

“Fuck.” Nita muttered, and held the cue out to Jack, who took it without a word. He looked at the table, sweat gathering on his forehead. Nita had sunk 5 balls in one run, and he still had all 7 of his to go. Plus, the cue ball was resting where it was touching a rail. Not a good setup for any play. Although, if he made a jump-shot, he could knock both the 12 and the 15 into pockets. Jack took careful aim, angling the cue just right...and the cue ball sailed up perfectly, arching into the two balls and sending them into their pockets. Jack looked up as his friends cheered, and saw that Kovit looked impressed. He began to grin, until he saw the small smile on Nita’s face, and his friend’s cheers turned into groans. He quickly looked at the table again. The cue ball was gone. Jack scanned the table frantically, as Kovit began to laugh, and a thunk under the table confirmed his fears. When he had made his jump-shot, the cue ball had been aimed directly at a side pocket. Jack closed his eyes with a groan. He had scratched.

Nita walked past Jack, taking the cue from his limp hand, and bent down to retrieve the cue ball from the foot of the table. She tossed it in her hand for a few moments as she assessed the layout, then in a very business like manner, placed the cue ball into play and lined up her next shot. Within minutes, Nita had both her solids in pockets, and the 8 ball was whizzing into one next. She looked at Jack coolly, grabbing the chalk for the cue stick and giving the tip a polish with a smile.

“First game goes to me. Rack them up.” Nita’s voice was soft and deadly, and Jack swallowed, his heart racing. Something told him he had made a very bad mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure you did Jackie-boy! Pretty sure you did. But then again, I'm the one writing the story, soooo.... HEHEHEHEHEHEHEH. 
> 
> Is it a bad sign I'm having this much fun writing this story? I hope not. I'm still getting little shocks and thrills every time the hits go up, and every comment and kudos feed my need for attention. I never wanted to be popular in school, I always associated that with guys hitting on me, and I was like eww, no, stay away, like a hissing cat. But with this story, it's like "Please accept this humble offering, dear readers!" Like a cat begging for treats, and you all shower me with love and praise! <.<....>.>....Holy crap, it's like the summary to the chapter. Are we...are we dating...through my story? O.o....Does that make me a waifu? Somehow, I'm ok with this. LOL. BTW, my hubby says yes. I am everyone's ideal waifu, apparently. 
> 
> So go forth, and enjoy stories and waifus! And husbandos! Spread the love!! I hope you all had fun with this chapter. I can't play pool to save my life. I'm lucky if I don't miss the cue ball, let alone get it to hit another ball, or to get that ball into a pocket. It's still fun to play and suck at it though. Until next time! Blessed BE!


	23. Will they ever learn?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The main part of Nita and Kovit's date night ends, and Jack gets stupid. Shall we see how this ends for him?

The second game was racked and ready to go, and Nita looked at the table with a small smile on her face as Jack licked his lips nervously. Most of the bar was no longer watching any of the T.V.s, instead, they were subtly keeping track of what was going on in the pool section. Or not so subtly, as some patrons had moved to the tables that had been left open on purpose with their drinks. Kovit’s table was left empty except for him, as his humor had a sharp edge to it that even innocent bystanders didn’t want to get too close too, and those that were drawn to the unfolding drama made sure that any look they gave Nita was respectful. 

When she broke this time, Nita ended up with stripes. She shot calmly, taking her time with each shot. Even so, the forth shot caught on the edge of the rail before going into the pocket, and deflected back into play. Nita glared at the ball for a moment before holding the cue out for Jack to take. He took it with a smirk, much happier with his options in this game. Looking over the table, Jack’s smirk grew.

“Well, looks like my luck is back. Tell me, Nita, right?” Jack said as she walked over to Kovit and took her drink from him. She sipped as Jack lined up his shot, and the ball slid into the pocket smoothly. “That is what the punk called you, I do believe. And since you haven’t given me your name, it’s that, or Toots. So tell me, Toots, what will we be doing for the rest of this evening, when  _ I  _ win our bet?” Jack and his friends laughed as Kovit glared, and Nita simply looked at him patiently.

“You haven’t won  _ yet _ , Jack.” She said mildly, and sat on the edge of the table, crossing her feet in front of her. “I suggest you  _ try  _ to do  _ that  _ first, before you boast about your prowess in any other aspect of life.” The other customers sitting nearby chuckled at the underhanded burn, and Jack’s cheeks reddened. He ground his teeth together for a moment as he lined up his second shot, and let his anger drive the tip of the cue into the ball. The clack of the cue ball hitting and the thump of his target ball going into the pocket soothed his pride slightly.

“I don’t see why I should be all that worried, Toots. You ran the first game, it’s true. But I’ve watched you play tonight, and you’re no better than any other player that comes through here. But you’re playing on my tables, playing with  _ my  _ balls,” Jack threw a dark smile at Kovit’s unsmiling face, “And playing with  _ MY  _ stick.” The gang members found this hilarious, along with a few of the regular customers. Kovit was seething inside. It was no worse than anything he had heard from Matt or anyone else while at the House of course, but it was being said to  _ Nita _ ! He was about to stand up, when she placed a gentle hand on his, and he looked at her. And shivered. Nita was smiling. 

“And I’m sure you think your table is  _ lovely _ , Jack.” Kovit took a drink to cool his temper, and it immediately went up his nose as he choked and snorted as Nita continued talking. “Sadly, it’s nothing when compared to  _ mine _ .  _ Cariño,  _ really. We’ve talked about how important breathing is.” Nita gently scolded him as Kovit wheezed, trying to get the soda and bubbles out of his nose. She then slid amused, cold eyes over to Jack, who had frozen at Kovit’s outburst. “And as far as your  _ balls  _ and your  _ stick  _ goes? Meh. No more impressive than any other player that’s been on my table.” Nita gently patted Kovit’s back as he tried to catch his breath, her mother’s shark smile on her face as Jack stared at her.

“Bambi! You’re killing me! Oh god, please tell me you didn’t!” Kovit wheezed, his face in his hands as he laughed and wiped tears from his eyes. Nita narrowed her eyes at him until he looked at her pleadingly, and then she grimaced in disgust.

“If you’re thinking something along the lines of what people accuse Diana of…” And Kovit shook his head.

“ _ No _ , but eww, thank you for more nightmare fuel. I was thinking about what Henry tried to make me do.” Nita rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“NO. Thank God. There’s only so much I will do, even in pursuit of science.” Kovit chuckled weakly.

“Yes, Thank God.” Seeing everyone staring at them, Kovit chuckled harder, and waved a hand at Jack. “Sorry, continuation of previous conversations. Nevermind. Please continue with your pitiful excuse at trash talk, Jack.” Nita giggled at that, and shook her hair back. She looked at the table, seeing that Jack had lined up but not taken his third shot.

“Yes, sorry for getting sidetracked. Just in case you missed it, I insulted your manhood spectacularly, and this is the part where you show off to prove you still have one.” Jack glared at her as everyone laughed loudly, and took his shot. After he sank the third ball, he did indeed begin to show off, pulling trick shot after trick shot, until he cleared the table of all the solids and the 8-ball. When his friends were cheering again, he turned to Nita with a tight smile and spread his hands.

“Proof enough, Toots?” He asked, and Nita smiled back, clapping her hands softly three times. Nita held out her hand for the cue, and Jack shoved it into her hand with a snarl. “Rack up the next fucking game” he spat at his group, and one of his people moved up to obey. When the rack was taken away, Nita grabbed the chalk, and carefully polished the tip of the cue. She looked the stick over with a critical eye, and ran careful fingers along the polished surface before smiling slightly.

“You know, this is a really nice cue stick. Too bad you don’t know how to take care of it properly. Ah well. It will do for tonight.” Nita looked up into Jack’s face as it bloomed with anger, and her smile went wide. “Three of a kind, Jack. 8-ball, in the side pocket, off the break.” His face went slack, as after speaking, Nita bent over, and without hesitation, shot. And just as she said, with the break, the 8-ball rolled straight into a side pocket. Nita stood up with a smirk. “That’s one, and the third game goes to me. Rack them up please.” Everyone stood silent as the fourth game was readied, and held their breath as Nita aimed again. This time, the 8-ball went into the side pocket opposite from where Nita had hit. Jack felt the blood rush completely out of his head, and the room spun.

“That’s two, and the fourth game to me. Rack up the last one, if you please.” Nita’s voice sounded far away.

“You won the fucking bet you bitch, get out of my fucking face!” Jack yelled, his eyes snapping up to Nita’s in anger. Nita just smiled her cold, calculating smile, and tilted her head.

“But  _ Jack _ ,” she said softly, her voice quiet and menacing. Jack felt his heart freeze in terror as the light in Nita’s eyes turned manic. “The bet was best out of  _ five  _ games, and I’ve only won three out of  _ four _ . And my call for my trick was three of a kind, not two of a kind. So rack them up.”

“How am I supposed to win, when you already have 3 out of 5 games?” Jack asked in a blind panic, his breath squeaking out of him. Nita’s smile went crooked, and everyone sucked in a breath. Her soft voice went very cold.

“You were never going to win Jack. But if you’re not too stupid, or very, very, lucky, you’ll end this night alive and not too badly hurt. Now, for the last time: Rack. The. Damn. Balls!” When no one moved or spoke, Nita’s face twisted with anger. She was about to speak again, when Kovit stood up, and went to the foot of the table, grabbing the rack. He set it on the table, and placed some change in the slot, causing the mechanism underneath to release, and then began to place the balls in the rack carefully. He smiled at Nita sweetly.

“Some people refuse to learn, eh sweetheart?” He said softly, his voice carrying in the quiet room over the clacking of the balls. The anger drained from Nita’s face as she looked at him with warm eyes. Kovit made sure to slide the rack around to show that all the balls rolled freely as they should, then positioned it in the proper place before pulling the rack away and spinning it in his hands. “How’s that?” Nita smiled at him.

“ _ Perfecto _ ,  _ cariño _ .  _ Gracias _ .” Kovit backed up, still spinning the rack in his hands as Nita lined up her shot. For the third time straight, the 8-ball landed in a side pocket on the break. Kovit grinned wickedly, but Nita wasn’t done. She continued to shoot, making trick shot after trick shot. And as she cleared the table, everyone watching began to notice a pattern. Nita was doing the same trick shots that Jack had done to win the second game, only her shots were more complex. Where Jack had made a jump shot that skipped over one ball, Nita made it skip over two, or curve after the jump. What looked to be near misses were actually very calculated shots, meant to send the cue ball into the rails to bounce back and hit multiple balls into pockets. Nita worked the entire table, from 1 to 15, not skipping a single number in order, save for the 8-ball that had been pocketed on the break. Jack looked like he was about to pass out when she was done, as cheers broke out from the crowd that had gathered.

The cue ball was slowly spinning near the head of the table when Nita was done, and she leaned against the side, her arms spread wide as she stared at Jack with a thin smile on her lips. The cue stick was leaning against the table next to her, and Nita had one heel resting against the butt of it, keeping it in place as Jack stared at it. Kovit was still spinning the rack in his hand slowly as his eyes scanned the crowd of gang members, who were quietly subdued compared to the rest of the pub, who were laughing and cheering Nita’s display of showmanship. Nita tilted her head as her eyes stayed on Jack’s angry face.

“Well now, Jack. I do believe that’s my three of a kind,  _ and  _ the fourth game out of five goes to me, wouldn’t you agree?” Jack glanced up at Nita quickly, trying to hold in his anger.

“Yeah. Congrats. You done gloating? I want to get back to playing pool.” Jack started to reach for the cue, and Nita held up a hand to block him, her eyes cold.

“Now  _ Jack _ , don’t be rude. After all,  _ you  _ were the one that wanted to spend the evening with  _ me _ . Don’t get mad that the evening didn’t go the way you had hoped. But don’t worry, I’ll let you get back to playing on your tables. To playing with  _ your  _ balls. But since I won our bet?” Nita picked up the cue and slung it over her shoulder, draping her wrists over the polished wood. Her voice went hard. “This is now  _ MY  _ stick. Toodles, Toots.” She smirked and walked away, towards the bar. Kovit gave a small bow and tossed the rack onto the pool table before following her, the crowd parting for them to pass by. 

Nita got to a stool and placed the cue stick on the bar as she sat down, and Kovit stood next to her, his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulder. Nita opened her mouth to say something, when he held out his hand with a finger up, pointing discreetly to the security screen set behind the larger T.V. screen that was showing a sports program that the rest of the bar could see. They could just make out Jack shrugging off his friend Mark’s hand, and starting towards them. Kovit held up all five fingers, and began to silently count down as Jack approached them. Four….. Three…. Two…. One….. Kovit raised his eyebrows as a few more seconds passed, and then…

“You fucking bitch!” Nita had barely turned to see Jack’s hand raised to hit her, when Kovit moved. Spinning around, his arm slid from off the back of the stool where it was resting against Nita’s shoulders, Kovit grabbed Jack’s raised hand. Using his body weight as momentum, Kovit spun Jack in a tight circle, as if in a dance, causing Jack’s arm to pull up and behind his back in a lock. With a step forward, Kovit thrust Jack up against the bar, shoving him hard and pinning him there. With the speed and force behind the move, Jack’s shoulder couldn’t handle the pressure. It dislocated with a sickening pop that everyone heard, and Jack gave a bloodcurdling scream that made the entire pub come to a screeching halt as they stared in horrified fascination while Kovit’s face filled with pleasure, his dark laughter a chilling counterpoint to Jack’s sobs.

“Ah, Jackie-boy, you have absolutely NO IDEA, just how badly I’ve wanted to get my hands on you tonight, so I could teach you a lesson on how to treat women.  _ No idea _ .” Kovit said viciously, leaning on Jack’s arm and making him scream again. Kovit shivered as Jack’s pain flowed into him, and Nita smiled sweetly at him. 

“You’ve broken my arm!!” Jack wailed, and Kovit snickered, as the other patrons began to murmur and shift. The members of the gang were pale as ghosts, gapping at Kovit and their leader. Johnny was staring at the three with huge eyes. Nita glanced around the pub, and saw that several of the servers were peering out through the windows of the kitchen door.

“And you call  _ me  _ a punk? It’s not broken you wuss, it’s just dislocated. I promise, I can tell the difference. Now, if you would  _ just stop _ being stupid for five fucking minutes…” Jack thrashed, crying out in pain.

“Get this lunatic off of me, assholes! I’ll fucking kill you, you dickwad!!” When several members of Jack’s group started to move towards them, Kovit pulled out his switchblade, and pointed it first at them, making them pause, then pointed it at one of Jack’s wide green eyes, making him go silent, except for painful whimpers. Kovit glared at the men standing near the pool tables out of the corner of his eyes.

“Your friend Jack here may be nimble, and he may be quick, but any of you take one more step towards us, and I promise. His biggest problem tonight will not be a tiny prick.” The men thought it over for a few tense seconds, then sat back down slowly. Kovit gave them a cracked grin before looking back at Jack. “Very smart. See Jackie-boy, your  _ friends  _ are smart. They sat down and shut up. Why couldn’t you follow their example, hmm? But no, you went and got  _ stupid _ , and now I’ve made a lot of people uncomfortable. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but I’m pretty sure we just cost Johnny and his servers a  _ hell  _ of a lot in tips, and that’s not exactly fair, considering how accommodating Johnny has been of your big  _ fucking  _ mouth tonight.” Kovit shuddered again, as Jack tried, unsuccessfully, to pull away from his grip and the blade that was barely an inch away from his eye. Nita was giggling like mad, and Kovit raised his eyebrows at her.

“Oh what,  _ cariño _ ? Your joke was funny! At least you have wit, and can actually pull off a successful play on words. I know how bad of wounds that blade can give someone.” Nita smirked at him, and Kovit snorted. Johnny approached them, and they looked at him with mild apprehension. Johnny cleared his throat.

“While I appreciate your restraint, the knife is making my other customers nervous. Is there another way we can resolve this? Short of killing each other or busting up my bar?” Johnny’s eyes were nervous, but his tone was polite.

“You could call the fucking cops, Johnny!” Jack whimpered harshly, and the bartender blinked, then grinned. Leaning down so he could whisper in the younger man’s ear, Johnny laughed quietly.

“The cops know better than to come around here, right Jack? Isn’t that what you told me? And after the last time you and your boys had a fight in here, and busted my shit up? I had to pay out of pocket to fix things. My insurance wouldn’t cover nothing, because the cops wouldn’t take my report, because it involved you and your gang. I don’t care what politician you’re related to. Start shit with the wrong people, with the real hard asses, and it will come back to slit your throat. Preferably in an alley somewhere, where I don’t have to clean up the mess!” Johnny stood back up, clearing his throat again before glancing between Kovit and Nita again. “Sorry about that. Continuation of a previous conversation.” The two grinned at him, and Kovit slid over $20.

“Completely understandable. You don’t want Health and Safety up your ass. Could we have two more drinks, and a rag please?” Johnny eyed the $20 for a moment, then went to refill their drinks, leaving it on the bar. Nita played with the tip of the cue stick as Kovit shivered, eating Jack’s discomfort as the man wiggled in his hold. When the bartender returned, he handed them their drinks, then reluctantly handed Kovit a rag. Kovit grinned and nodded his thanks before putting away his knife. Glancing at the gang members to make sure they didn’t move, he turned to Jack, who was weeping from humiliation and pain. Then he wadded up the rag and grabbed Jack’s chin, forcing his mouth open. “The most important lesson for you to learn tonight, I think, Jack, is when to shut the hell up. Letting people around you enjoy a nice, peaceful evening without your input is part of being an adult, right Nita?” Kovit asked as he shoved the makeshift gag into Jack’s mouth. Nita nodded as she sipped her fresh drink, and Johnny chuckled as Kovit shoved Jack's face back down onto the bar and leaned on him, pressing his elbow into Jack’s spine. “Now sit there quietly and think about what you’ve done, while Nita and I finish our date. We’ll make sure you don’t cause any more trouble.” 

Nita giggled as Johnny took the $20 and quietly began to serve the other customers at the bar, and slowly, the pub began to shift back to life. Servers crept out of the kitchen to take orders, patrons picked at their food again, friends picked up their conversations though they kept it quiet. Kovit kept an eye on the group of gang members as they slowly began to play pool again, until only Mark was left sitting. When Nita noticed the two staring at each other, she rolled her eyes and jerked her head at him to join them. ~ _ I’m never going to get to finish my date with Kovit if we don’t hear what he has to say. May as well let him say it and get it done with. _ ~ When Mark was a foot or so away, Kovit glared at him, and he stopped in his tracks, swallowing hard.

“Say what you want to say, and stop looking at us. You’re annoying me.” Kovit said coldly, and Mark went pale.

“You’re that zannie from the news, right? Kovit Sang-something…” Kovit tilted his head, his eyes seizing Mark up.

“Your point?”

“Well...you got off on probation right? So you aren’t supposed to hurt anyone…”

“I still have every right to protect myself and Nita.” Kovit leaned all his weight on Jack, making him cry through the gag. As lean as Kovit was, he was still all muscle. “You and your friend here spent all evening harassing my girlfriend, making vulgar comments, leering at her, etc. Jackie here tried to  _ hit  _ Nita. So I can do whatever the  _ fuck  _ I want to him. He’s lucky he’s not losing his hand, or anything else for that matter. I’ve decided to take up babysitting duties and make sure the asshole doesn’t bother anyone else until Nita is ready to go home. Least I can do for our new friend Johnny, since you and the rest of your friends don’t seem capable of the job. You have a problem with that?” Kovit’s eyes were hard and relentless as he stared at the taller man, and Mark shook his head. “Good. Then I suggest you go play a couple of nice, relaxing games of pool with your friends. I’ll let you know when I’m done babysitting.” Kovit pointed to the group by the pool tables that were watching them warily, and Mark slowly backed up before turning and walking to them quickly. Kovit grumbled in disgust.

“Something wrong,  _ cariño _ ?” Nita asked, taking a drink, and Kovit scoffed.

“Deja vu. It’s like talking with the assholes at The House again. Only more annoying, because they’re just playing at it.” Kovit looked over his shoulder and nudged Jack, making him whimper. “It’s not as satisfying when your throat’s not really on the knife’s edge, Jackie-boy. Johnny wasn’t wrong, you know. Play hard ass bluff long enough, and someone is going to really call it.” Nita giggled, and Kovit smiled at her.

“Didn’t we call it tonight?” She asked, batting her lashes, and Kovit chuckled.

“Only a little Nita. He’s not worth killing, not really. But I am starting to see what you mean about revenge.” Nita’s grin went dark.

“Isn’t it great. I never understood why people say it’s not worth the hassle.” Kovit laughed at that.

“Maybe little revenges like this. All the shit we went through with Fabricio? Eh?”Nita laughed, and picked up the cue stick, twirling it around.

“Got us the lawyer we needed though, right?” Kovit nodded in agreement, and took a drink of his coke. He glanced at Nita as she spun and caught the stick.

“Am I going to regret asking where you learned to play pool like that?” he said with wicked glee, and Nita laughed harder. Jack had tears streaming down his face as he watched her tossing the cue around. Nita found herself enjoying his pain quite a bit, now that he was gagged. 

“My parents had other hobbies besides killing and selling people Kovit. One of their shared ones was pool. To be completely honest with you, I’m not sure which one was the better hustler. They both knew some impressive tricks.” Nita rocked back on her seat as she caught the cue stick, and Kovit leaned over, making his bangs shade his glittering eyes.

“Sneaky Bambi!” his husky whisper made her shiver as heat settled in her belly, and Nita leaned forward to brush his bangs out of his face. “Will you be teaching our kids those tricks?” Nita giggled breathlessly.

“Oh, it’s  _ kids  _ now, huh? As in more than one?” Kovit smirked, and kissed her wrist before clamping his hand on Jack’s arm, pulling him back against the bar. He had been trying to slide away while Kovit and Nita were flirting, and the added tension on his injured arm made him scream into the gag. Kovit let the pain flow into him and reveled in it for a moment before he answered Nita.

“At least two now, sweetheart! How am I supposed to help myself when you’re so terrifyingly hot when you get mad?” Nita couldn’t help but laugh at the earnest look on Kovit’s face.

“How about we start with  _ one _ , and see where life goes from there,  _ cariño _ ?”

“But  _ Nita _ ! My other dream this morning showed us with a little girl, and you were pregnant again! It was a  _ very good look on you _ …” Kovit tried cajoling sweetly, and Nita just shook her head at him, amused.

“And eventually, pregnant women have to stop being pregnant, and give birth to the child, Kovit. Which I heard hurts. A lot.” Nita laughed as Kovit sighed heavily, dramatically hanging his head. Jack was staring at them with terrified confusion.

“I suppose that’s true. And you are the one that carries the baby, not me.” Kovit smiled gently at Nita, as she cupped his chin in her hand. Even with their teasing, there was sincere joy in the thought of planning a future together. “We have time to figure it out, sweetheart.” He said, and Nita nodded.

“We do. Though, we won’t have much more time for anything tonight. I have an early class tomorrow. We should head out.” Nita slid off her stool and grabbed the cue stick off the bar. Kovit raised his eyebrows at her when she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck.

“Nita?” He asked, and she smirked at him.

“What? It’s warped. It’s slight, but still, it’s warped. I told him he didn’t know how to properly take care of a cue stick. You never leave it behind a bar. Too much humidity, and for what? To show off?” Nita grabbed the cue in both hands, and pumping her bloodstream full of stress hormones, raised it high over her head before slamming the end over the edge of the bar in front of Jack’s face. She did it three more times as Jack screamed into the gag and thrashed, breaking the cue stick in two places as Kovit chuckled. When she was done, Nita lined up the broken pieces on the bar, surveying her work. “Not bad. Not even, but not bad. I think I want Eva’s Original Chimneys for dessert before we head home, they should still be open. It’s only 8.” Kovit looked thoughtful.

“You want ice cream? In this weather?” He asked as he pulled Jack away from the bar and shoved him into the stool that Nita had vacated. She put on her coat as she looked up at him from under her lashes. Kovit grinned and gave a sharp whistle, and Mark started to head their way from the pool table.

“They also do  _ fresh funnel cake _ ,  _ cariño _ .” Nita said softly, and Kovit whimpered, slapping Jack’s hand down when he reached for the rag in his mouth.

“Stop that. No sense disturbing the other customers yet.” Kovit snapped at him, and then he looked at Nita with pleading eyes. “Bambi, do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve had  _ fresh  _ funnel cake? Like  _ for real _ ,  _ fresh  _ funnel cake? I’m drooling.” Nita smiled wickedly, and Kovit licked his lips. When Mark reached them, he turned to business again. Looking at the taller gang member, Kovit said flatly, “Hold him still.”

“Wait, what?” Kovit’s look turned into an annoyed glare.

“Nothing is broken, the shoulder joint is just dislocated. Hold him still so I can reset it. Unless you want a hospital bill.” Mark reached out uncertain hands, and Jack was shaking his head vigorously when Kovit pulled on his arm and twisted it back into place. Since Kovit had made Jack keep the gag in, his scream of pain was muffled, and didn’t disturb the other patrons in the booths. Jack sagged against Mark, clutching his arm to his chest, and Kovit snorted as he put on his coat. “Fucking wuss, I told you it wasn’t broken. Hey Johnny, how about an ice pack for Jackie-boy here?” Kovit laid two more $20 bills on the bar, then turned and clapped Jack on his injured shoulder, making him scream into the gag one more time as Kovit grinned his cracked grin up at Mark. “Take some Tylenol or Ibuprofen for the swelling, put it in a sling, and ice it off and on as needed for the next couple of weeks, and he’ll be fine. Of course, he won’t be playing any pool, but since he needs a new cue anyways, not much to worry about, now is there. Oh, and Jack,” Kovit leaned in very close to the man’s ear, squeezing his shoulder painfully tight to drive his point home, his smile not losing an inch. “Next time a woman tells you no, take it gracefully, and let it go. Otherwise, the next lesson I teach you, will be in an alleyway. And it won’t matter how many of your friends I have to teach the lesson too as well.” 

Kovit released Jack, who sucked in a wheezing breath around the gag, and looked up at Mark, who was pale and trembling, and wouldn’t meet his eyes. Glancing over, he saw Johnny with a zipper bag full of ice, and Kovit smiled cheerfully as he held out his hand, and the bartender handed it over, returning his smile. Kovit shoved the bag of ice into Jack’s chest, before turning to Nita and dipping his head.

“Ready love?” He asked, and Nita grinned slyly.

“I’ve been ready,  _ cariño _ . Are you done playing with your food?” Kovit flashed her a toothy grin.

“For this trip. We’ll have to come back sometime. That bacon cheeseburger was divine, Johnny!” Nita threaded her arm through Kovit’s and they walked towards the door together.

“And you really do have the best chili cheese dogs in the city. We’ll be back for more soon.” She said sweetly. Johnny gave them a salute.

“You two take care. Be seeing you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buwahahahahah! Screw you Jackie-boy! If Nita had lost, you just know he would have tried something. Am I living vicariously through this story? Maybe. Yes. But it's my story, so I can, lol!
> 
> And that includes dessert! And it has been FOREVER since I have had fresh funnel cake. And the reviews on Eva's Original Chimneys..... lets just say the pool of drool on my desk isn't just because of Kovit's sexy evilness! We didn't get to have the Iowa State Fair this year due to Covid you guys, so I didn't get to have my Blue Sapphire Velvet Funnel Cake..... I is a sad kitty. =T.T= 
> 
> Anyways, yummy Kovit and funnel cake aside, Just wanted to give everyone a reminder, I am getting on a plane in two days. 2. As in the day after tomorrow. This is terrifying. I may die. I hope I don't. I want to continue to live for so many reasons, mainly my hubby, but also because of this story. It's ok if the only reason YOU want me to live is because you want the story to continue. After all, it's the story you're here for, not my notes. Even though I try to make them funny too. Or at least relevant. Or supportive. Something to do with feelings.
> 
> So share your feelings about the story. I won't be able to answer until I get back from my bro's, since all I will have is my phone, but once I am back, and have reassured my puckered butthole that I am back on the ground where I belong and have not died, I'll be back with replies to comments, and hopefully another chapter later next week. Until then, if you fly, fly safe; if you drive, drive safe; if you walk, walk safe; if you're a dwarf, you're digging a hole, a diggy diggy hole, and need to be careful of goblins and dragons. Blessed Be friends!


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